New Delhi: Vikram Misri, a 1989 batch IFS officer, on Monday assumed charge from Vinay Mohan Kwatra as India's next Foreign Secretary. "TeamMEA extends a warm welcome to Foreign Secretary Misri and wishes him a successful tenure ahead," the Ministry of External Affairs posted on X. The government had announced Misri's appointment on June 28 as Kwatra's extension of service, approved on March 12, ended July 14.

Accordingly, the tenure of Misri, as Deputy National Security Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat, was also curtailed. "Thank outgoing Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra for his dedication and many contributions in the field of foreign policy and national security," said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday. "Particularly in the last decade, he has helped strategise and execute so many of our key policies. Wish him well in his future endeavours," he added.

Before becoming the Deputy NSA, he served as India's ambassador to China from 2019 to 2021 during the Galwan Valley crisis. Additionally, Misri has earlier served as India's ambassador to Spain (2014-2016) and Myanmar (2016-2018), along with having terms in many missions, including Pakistan, the US, Germany, Belgium and Sri Lanka.

(IANS)