Vikram Misri, the Deputy National Security Advisor, is poised to succeed him as the next Foreign Secretary. He will take over for Vinay Mohan Kwatra, who was granted a six-month extension to his term in March and is a strong candidate to become the US ambassador.
The Appointments Committee of Cabinet announced on Friday that Vikram Misri, an officer from the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, will take over as the next foreign secretary from July 15.
Reputably knowledgeable on China, Misri,59, has worked as a private secretary to three prime ministers: Inder Kumar Gujral, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi.
He was instrumental in maintaining communication with the Chinese government while serving as ambassador to Beijing from 2019 to 21—particularly following the military standoff in Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control in Galwan in May 2020. In addition, he held posts in Indian embassies in Belgium, Pakistan, the US, Sri Lanka, and Germany. He was India’s ambassador to Spain from 2014 to 2016 and Myanmar from 2016 to 2018.
Born in Srinagar, Misri graduated with a degree in History from Hindu College, Delhi University, and earned an MBA from XLRI Jamshedpur. He assumed his current role in the National Security Advisor’s office in January 2022, reporting to NSA Ajit Doval.
Sources indicate that Jawed Ashraf, India’s ambassador to France, may step in to take Misri’s place as deputy NSA in the interim.
It is also understood that the government is in the process of designating New Delhi’s permanent representative to the UN in New York and India’s envoy to the US.
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Those with knowledge of the situation claimed that Kwatra is anticipated to serve as the US ambassador going forward. Ever since Taranjit Sandhu retired in January, the position has been unfilled.