Vikram Misri, the Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA), has been appointed as the next foreign secretary of India. He will succeed incumbent Vinay Mohan Kwatra. Misri, a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed to the post of foreign secretary of India with effect from July 15, 2024, a statement by the Government of India said.
Vikram Misri India’s New Foreign Secretary
Why In News
- Vikram Misri, the Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA), has been appointed as the next foreign secretary of India. He will succeed incumbent Vinay Mohan Kwatra. Misri, a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has been appointed to the post of foreign secretary of India with effect from July 15, 2024, a statement by the Government of India said.
- The official order also approved the curtailment of Misri’s tenure as the Deputy NSA.
What Happens To Vinay Mohan Kwatra?
- In March this year, Kwatra was given a six month’s extension. According to a report by Hindustan Times, Kwatra is expected to become India’s ambassador to the United States within the next few months. The post of India’s envoy in Washington DC has been vacant since the retirement of Taranjit Sandhu in January this year.
- The Indian government is also looking to fill the post of India’s permanent representative to the United Nations in New York after the retirement of Ruchira Kamboj.
Foreign Secretary Office
- Foreign secretary of India is the top diplomat of India and administrative head of the Ministry of External Affairs. This post is held by an Indian foreign service officer of the rank of secretary to the government of India. Foreign secretary is heads the ‘Foreign Service Board’.
- Role of the foreign secretary is as follows:
- To act as the administrative head of the Ministry of External Affairs. The responsibility in this regard is complete and undivided.
- To act as the chief adviser to the Minister of External Affairs on all aspects of policy and administrative affairs.
- To represent the Ministry of External Affairs before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament of India.
- Recommends postings of officers under the Ministry of External Affairs of the rank of secretary, additional secretary and joint secretary to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
- To act as the first among equals among the Secretaries in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Who Is Vikram Misri, India’s New Foreign Secretary?
- Born in 1964 in Srinagar, 59-year-old Misri completed his early education in Gwalior following which he graduated in history from the Hindu College of Delhi University. He then did an MBA from XLRI. 2 – Misri started his career as a diplomat from the 1989 batch of IFS.
- He has served at the Indian missions in Brussels and Tunis.
- In 2014, Misri was made India’s ambassador to Spain
- 2016 he was made Myanmar envoy. He has also served in the Indian missions in Belgium, Pakistan, the US, Sri Lanka and Germany.
- Misri has served as the ambassador to China during 2019-2021. During this time, he played a crucial role in talks with the Chinese government after the military standoff in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in May 2020. In the Galwan Valley clash, 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops were killed. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Misri had advocated for cooperation between India and China to expedite the development of a vaccine.
- Misri has also served as the private secretary of three prime ministers – Inder Kumar Gujral (1997-1998), Manmohan Singh (2012-2014) and Narendra Modi (May to July 2014).
- In January 2022, Misri joined the National Security Council in January 2022. It is learnt that India’s ambassador to France, Jawed Ashraf is expected to be appointed the deputy NSA.
