A Fauji In Foreign Affairs cover
Social/Political Commentary

A Fauji In Foreign Affairs

byCol Mayank Chaubey

My Conversations with the World's Envoys

A veteran soldier's account of accompanying international diplomats through India — and what ordinary encounters reveal about cultural diplomacy.

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Language
English
Binding / Format
Paperback
ISBN
9789347691386
Pages
—
Published
—
Category
Social/Political Commentary

Overview

A cow sitting in the middle of a Delhi road. The Yamuna, revered and polluted at once. A cultural tour where a visiting diplomat asks a question no briefing document anticipated. Col Mayank Chaubey spent years accompanying international diplomats through India, and what he noticed was this: India teaches its philosophy not through official channels but through ordinary encounters that catch visitors off guard.

Drawing on those lived experiences, Chaubey shows how the transition from military to diplomatic work sharpened rather than softened his perspective. The discipline of soldiering and the attentiveness required for cross-cultural engagement turned out to share more common ground than he expected. His lens — formed by both — reveals the places where India's civilisational ethos surfaces naturally: in rivers, rituals, roads, and the unscripted moments that no foreign policy paper could anticipate.

For students of international relations, aspirants in the foreign service, and general readers curious about how a veteran soldier reads the world, this is an account of cultural diplomacy as it actually happens — not in conference rooms, but in the encounters India itself creates.

-:ABOUT THE BOOK:- This book presents a unique set of reflections from the perspective of a soldier who has transitioned into the world of diplomacy and strategic communication. Drawing upon lived experiences with international diplomats visiting India, the work highlights how ordinary encounters - a polluted yet revered Yamuna, a cow sitting in the middle of the road, or conversations during cultural tours - become profound lessons in India's civilisational ethos. Through narrative-driven chapters, the book shows how India communicates its deepest philosophies not only through official briefings or policy papers but through lived experiences, symbols, and encounters on the ground. These stories, told through the lens of a veteran soldier, bring together India's military discipline, civilisational values, and diplomatic engagements into one integrated narrative. By situating these reflections within India's timeless principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ("the world is one family"), the book positions itself as a bridge between the domains of armed service and foreign service - an insider's account of how India's culture and philosophy can be its greatest tools of diplomacy. Rationale and Significance While much has been written on India's foreign policy, defence strategy, and cultural diplomacy, few works approach these subjects through lived, on-the-road experiences narrated by a soldier. This book is not a textbook on diplomacy; it is a companion of stories that reveal how India teaches, even unintentionally, through her rivers, roads, rituals, and people. The significance of this project lies in: Perspective: It represents the voice of a soldier who has worked at the intersection of defence and diplomacy. Method: It uses narrative storytelling, rather than abstract theorising, to convey lessons in international engagement. Message: It demonstrates how India's civilisational ethos can be communicated to the world in authentic, relatable, and memorable ways. For budding diplomats, students of international relations, and general readers, this work provides an engaging entry point into the softer, humanised aspects of diplomacy that are rarely taught but deeply felt.

Author

Col Mayank Chaubey photo
Col Mayank Chaubey

Col Mayank Chaubey (Retd) is a former Indian Army officer, diplomat-trainer, and strategic thinker whose career spans nearly three decades at the intersection of defence, diplomacy, and civilisational engagement. Commissioned into the Indian Army, he served in a range of operational, instructional, and leadership roles, developing a deep understanding of security, discipline, and human leadership in complex environments. Following his military service, he transitioned into the world of diplomacy and international engagement, serving as Director at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (2014-2020), India's premier institution for training foreign diplomats. In this role, he mentored and interacted closely with envoys and officials from over a hundred countries, designing and delivering immersive programmes that went far beyond classrooms, introducing participants to India's lived culture, philosophy, and civilisational ethos. Col Chaubey's work has focused on presenting India not merely as a strategic actor, but as a civilisation, one that communicates through behaviour, hospitality, restraint, and shared human experience. His approach blends the clarity of military training with the sensitivity required for cross-cultural dialogue, earning him respect among diplomats, educators, and policy practitioners alike. An author, speaker, and commentator on geopolitics, leadership, and soft power, he brings a rare practitioner's insight to conversations about diplomacy's human dimension. A Fauji in Foreign Affairs : My Conversations with the World's Envoys is his first book and reflects his belief that the strongest bridges between nations are built not through authority or assertion, but through understanding, humility, and honest conversation. He continues to engage with policy forums, educational institutions, and public platforms, advocating a values-driven, people-centric approach to diplomacy rooted in India's civilisational confidence.

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