Who is Daleep Singh, the Indian-American economic advisor leading US in executing sanctions on Russia over Ukraine 'invasion'?

The Biden administration on Tuesday announced a set of new sanctions on Russia after President Vladimir Putin signed decrees on Monday to recognise Ukraine's regions of “Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics” as “independent”, escalating the tension in the region and increasing fears of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The new sanctions by Biden administration would cut off the United States and Europe from providing any kind of funds to Russia.




In all of this growing conflict, an Indian-American economic advisor Daleep Singh, who is leading the efforts of the US to impose punitive sanctions on Russia over Ukraine matter, has grabbed major attention.

Born in Olney, Maryland and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, Singh has worked as executive vice president and head of the markets group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in the past.

The 47-year-old was also deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury for international affairs and acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Financial Markets in the Obama administration.

Singh's great-granduncle, Dalip Singh Saund, was the first Asian American elected to Congress.

In mid-February 2021, Singh was appointed as Deputy National Security Advisor for international economics at the National Security Council and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, according to reports.

As Singh made his second appearance in the White House Press Room on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that he is “back by popular demand” since he is playing a key role in this Russia policy of the administration.

The 47-year-old has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and public policy from Duke University and a dual Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Administration in international economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Harvard Kennedy School.

During his opening remarks on Tuesday, Singh said that “Russia's long previewed invasion of Ukraine has begun and so too has our response. Today, the president (Joe Biden) responded swiftly and in lockstep with allies and partners. The speed and coordination were historic… It took weeks and months to mount a decisive response,” according to PTI.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration further warned that it had prepared additional measures aimed at cutting off Russia from advanced technology critical to its economy and military in the event of further aggression by Putin toward Ukraine.