German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann: A Distinguished Diplomat Joining NDTV World Summit 2025

German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann is set to participate in the NDTV World Summit 2025, scheduled for October 17-18 in New Delhi. He will be a featured speaker on a distinguished panel addressing trading geopolitics alongside other prominent diplomats from around the world.

Ackermann currently serves as the German Ambassador to India since 2022, with concurrent accreditation to Bhutan. His diplomatic career spans over three decades, during which he has established himself as an authority on foreign policy, international cooperation, and cultural exchange.

In 2023, Ackermann captured public attention when he and his embassy staff performed a dance flash mob to the Oscar-winning song "Naatu Naatu," an act that received appreciation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Ackermann's diplomatic journey began in 1993 when he joined the German Foreign Service. His early assignments included positions at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an exchange diplomat, the German Embassy in Morocco as a press and political officer, and the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York.

In 2001, he co-founded the International Legal Foundation in New York, an organization providing legal assistance in post-conflict regions. He remained on its board for 15 years, including serving as vice chairman.

From 2002 to 2006, Ackermann worked as a speechwriter for two German Foreign Ministers: Joschka Fischer and Frank-Walter Steinmeier. His subsequent roles included leading the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Kunduz, Afghanistan (2006-2007) and serving as Head of the Political Department at the German Embassy in New Delhi (2007-2010).

Between 2010 and 2014, he led the Afghanistan-Pakistan Task Force and served as Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Ackermann's international postings continued with his appointment as Deputy Ambassador in Washington, DC (2014-2016), Commissioner for the Middle East and North Africa (2016-2017), and Director General for Africa, Latin America, Near and Middle East (2017-2022) at the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin.

His academic background includes studies in art history, economics, and history at universities in Bonn, Heidelberg, and Utrecht. After completing his schooling at Johannes-Butzbach-Gymnasium in 1984 and fulfilling his military service, he earned his master's degree in 1990 and completed a PhD in art history from the University of Bonn in 1993.

The NDTV World Summit 2025 carries the theme "Edge of the Unknown: Risk. Resolve. Renewal." This two-day global forum will be held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, bringing together world leaders, innovators, thinkers, and cultural icons to explore how nations and individuals can navigate an era of uncertainty and transformation. With India at the center of these discussions, the event will address key issues across politics, technology, climate, economy, and culture.