Click to play videoNew Delhi: The Congress is having a tough time choosing the next External Affairs Minister. SM Krishna, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Kamal Nath are all in the race. At a time when India's neighbourhood poses a lot of challenge, many agree it's not the US but the subcontinent that deserves attention.
A neighbourhood in flames, a new administration in Washington, and a global war on terror- whoever takes charge of the External Affairs Ministry has their work cut out.
"We need a foreign minister with an energetic mind. Someone who can be at the command of the Prime Minister, and log on to thousands of kilometres without feeling tired," former foreign secretary Shashank.
With Pranab Mukherjee set to move to Finance, among the contenders for his job, at least one has been in South Block before - Salman Khursheed was the Minister of State in the 1990s, but has spent the last decade building the party in Uttar Pradesh.
Other Congressmen who could be pulled in from their states to fill the post are; Ghulam Nabi Azad from Jammu and Kashmir- who is reportedly Pranab's choice - or the suave SM Krishna from Karnataka.
The race gets more crowded with both former commerce minister Kamal Nath, and former science minister Kapil Sibal. Both have had the advantage of working as Cabinet ministers with Manmohan Singh and both have a strong sense of international trade.
But many diplomats say its sub continental politics that is the more immediate challenge.
From the war against the Taliban and the stalled peace process with Pakistan, to the crisis brewing in Nepal with the Maoists out of power and on the streets.
And the humanitarian crisis that has replaced the war in Sri Lanka with more than 200,000 displaced Tamils.
"We need to concentrate on the region not on the US," said former secretary in Ministry of External Affairs, Rajiv Sikri.
Many say India's most international face Shashi Tharoor may join as a minister of a state. But No matter which one of these men will be India's next face for the world, they have some pretty big shoes to fill.
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