In a career spanning 35 years, Shiv Shankar Mukherjee has served in places as diverse as Damascus (1975-79), Brussels (1979-82), Washington (twice, under Reagan and Clinton), and Cairo as Ambassador (1998-2000). But for the High Commissioner, Southern Africa holds a special magic.

From 1982-85, Mukherjee was posted to Lusaka at a time when the Zambian capital was the stronghold of three liberation movements – for South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia. He found himself mingling with exiles who would one day lead their countries.

He returned to Namibia in 1988 as part of the Indian Observer Mission and witnessed the birth of a nation during the country’s first elections, staying on to become High Commissioner.

“To be involved in the quest for freedom and the birth of a country like in Namibia is very special,” says  Mukherjee, who returned to the region for a third time, this time as High Commissioner to a liberated South Africa (2000-04).

“I was almost an ANC [African National Congress] insider because of my old associations with ANC leaders in exile in Lusaka,” he laughs. “It was a wonderful, heady time.”

Mukherjee was then posted to Nepal, another country undergoing a transformation from a monarchy to a republic. “Again I was lucky enough to witness the rebirth of a country,” says the High Commissioner.

Now Mukherjee arrives in London at a time when the world is being buffeted by global threats – financial meltdown, climate change, international terrorism – and the developing world will bear the brunt.

A key foreign policy objective for India is “to give a voice” to developing nations on the international stage. India has earned its right to be heard, he says – not simply because it has a population of one billion people and the second fastest growing economy in the world – but “because of India’s record as a principled member of the international community”.

A long-held aspiration for India is to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council, “because of our belief in a collective effort to solve the problems of the developing countries of the world,” he says, adding: “They need to have a seat at the main decision making body of the UN to articulate their concerns.”

India continues to speak up for the developing world. In world trade talks, India took on the US over farm subsidies “to safeguard the livelihoods of marginal farmers everywhere”.

On climate change, India recently committed itself not to emit more carbon dioxide than developed nations, says the High Commissioner, but warns: “Developed nations cannot put breaks on our development. The financial and technological burden of combating climate change must lie more heavily on the developed countries.”

 Technological transfer is also important and India recently won the right from the Nuclear Suppliers Group to acquire nuclear technology and equipment, even though it is not a signatory of the NPT.

This, says Mukherjee, sends out two important messages: firstly that India can explore clean nuclear energy needed for its advancement; secondly, it’s a vote of confidence in India’s non proliferation credentials.

Nevertheless, the fact that regional rivals India and Pakistan are both nuclear powers is still cause for concern. Therefore maintaining regional security and combating terrorism are India’s primary foreign policy goals, says Mukherjee, adding that India is committed to working with the newly elected government in Pakistan.

However, he admits that the situation in the neighbouring country is “very fluid”, adding that he hopes the new government will “solidify”.

Initiatives such as trade across the Line of Control are welcome developments, he says, but adds that terrorist attacks such as the one on the Indian Embassy in Kabul, must cease “otherwise the dialogue is in danger”.

In London, he has three goals – to facilitate trade and investment between the two nations; to support the Indian diaspora, which forms a “vibrant bridge” between Britain and India, and lastly, to strengthen educational ties, to give India the skills to sustain the country’s development.

Keeping on top of all these briefs must be like playing chess – it’s just as well the High Commissioner is a fan of the game.