RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR UPDATES TO NAMES, TITLES

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001469 SENSITIVE SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO S/ES-O AND SCA/FO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL IN SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO REQUEST FOR UPDATES TO NAMES, TITLES AND CONTACT NUMBERS FOR LEADING GOVERNMENT AND POLITICAL OFFICIALS REF: SECSTATE 54250 ¶1. This cable is in response to reftel. ¶2. Country: Republic of India Date: May 30, 2008 India Country Code is 91. New Delhi Area Code is 11. Both (91) and (11) must be dialed prior to all landline numbers below. The Area Code is omitted for mobile phone numbers. -------------- Head of Government Last/Family Name: Singh First/Middle Names: Manmohan Conventional Usage: Prime Minister Singh/Mr. Prime Minister Formal Title: Prime Minister Office Telephone Numbers: 2301-2312, 2301-6857 After-Hours Official Numbers: 2301-8939, 2301-6060 Residence Telephone Numbers: 2301-8939, 2301-6060 Cell Phone Numbers: Comments: Prime Minister Singh speaks fluent English. Private Secretaries B.V.R. Subramaniam and Jaideep Sarkar handle calls and meeting requests for Prime Minister Singh. Both speak excellent English. -------------- Head of State Last/Family Name: Patil First/Middle Names: Pratibha Conventional Usage: President Patil/Madam President Formal Title: President Office Telephone Numbers: 2301-4930, 2301-3488 After-Hours Official Numbers: 2301-5321 Residence Telephone Numbers: 2338-6655 Cell Phone Numbers: Comments: President Patil speaks fluent English. Private Secretary R.J. Jadhav handles all the calls and meetings of President Patil. -------------- Foreign Minister Last/Family Name: Mukherjee First/Middle Names: Pranab Conventional Usage: Foreign Minister Mukherjee/Mr. Minister Formal Title: External Affairs Minister (EAM) Office Telephone Numbers: 2301-1127/1165 After-Hours Official Numbers: 2373-7623 Residence Telephone Numbers: 2373-7657 Cell Phone Numbers: Comments: Foreign Minister Mukherjee speaks fluent but heavily accented English. Private Secretary Anil Verma takes the Minister's calls. He is fluent in English. -------------- Defense Minister Last/Family Name: Antony First/Middle Names: A.K. Conventional Usage: Defense Minister Antony/Mr. Minister Formal Title: Defense Minister Office Telephone Numbers: 2301-2286, 2301-9030 After-Hours Official Numbers: as above Residence Telephone Numbers: 2371-1160, 2336-6744 Cell Phone Numbers: Comments: Defense Minister Antony speaks passable but heavily accented English. Private Secretary Dheeraj Gupta handles the Minister's calls and meeting schedules. He speaks fluent English. -------------- Leader of the Opposition Last/Family Name: Advani First/Middle Names: Lal Krishna Conventional Usage: Mr. Advani Formal Title: Leader of Opposition Office Telephone Numbers: 2301-6705, 2303-4285 After-Hours Official Numbers: Residence Telephone Numbers: 2379-4124,2379-4125 Cell Phone Numbers: 9811111199 Comments: Mr. Advani speaks fluent English. Private Secretary Chopra handles the important calls and appointments in Advani's role as the Leader of the Opposition. Alternatively, the principal staffer at home is Prakash Chander. -------------- Chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition Last/Family Name: Gandhi First/Middle Names: Sonia Conventional Usage: Madam Gandhi Formal Title: UPA Chairperson Office Telephone Numbers: 2301-4161/2301-4481/2301-5584 After-Hours Official Numbers: 2301-4161/2301-4481/2301-5584 Residence Telephone Numbers: 2301-4161/2301-4481/2301-5584 Cell Phone Numbers: Comments: Sonia Gandhi speaks fluent English. Private Secretary Madhavan takes all important calls for Mrs. Gandhi. MULFORD