Vikram Misri Appointed India’s New Foreign Secretary

Deputy National Security Advisor Vikram Misri will take charge as the Foreign Secretary on July 15, the Government announced on June 28. Mr. Misri, who is a former Indian ambassador to China, will succeed current Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra.

Appointment of Vikram Misri

Appointment of Vikram Misri, IFS (1989), Deputy National Security Advisor in the National Security Council Secretariat to the post of Foreign Secretary w.e.f. 15th July 2024 vice Shri Vinay Kwatra, the Personnel Ministry declared in an announcement. Mr. Misri, who is known for being a specialist in India-China relations, is expected to bring a special focus on the ongoing tension between Delhi and Beijing.

About Vikram Misri

Vikram Misri (born 7 November 1964) is an Indian diplomat. He currently serves as the 35th Foreign Secretary of India, having taken over from Vinay Mohan Kwatra in July 2024. Previously, he served as the Deputy National Security Advisor of India from 1 January 2022, succeeding Pankaj Saran till 14 July 2024. Whereas, he has served as the ambassador of India to China from January 2019 to December 2021.

Vikram Misri’s prominent foreign postings

Mr. Misri’s prominent foreign postings include Myanmar where he was the Indian ambassador during 2016-2018 when the Rohingya crisis erupted in Rakhine province. He subsequently was sent to China in 2019 where he served as the ambassador till 2021. He is known to have conducted backroom negotiations with the Chinese authorities during the 2020 Galwan crisis. His diplomatic career also included stints in the Indian missions in Pakistan, U.S., Belgium and Spain.