China Expert Vikram Misri Appointed India’s Next Foreign Secretary

Vikram Misri, the former ambassador to Beijing and a specialist on China who currently serves as Deputy National Security Adviser, has been appointed as India’s upcoming foreign secretary.

Misri, a 1989 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and a rare three-time private secretary to prime ministers is set to assume his new role on July 15, as per the appointments committee of the cabinet’s notification. He transitioned to the National Security Council in January 2022.

Vinay Kwatra, who was granted a six-month extension in April, will now serve until July 14, according to the same notification. There is widespread anticipation that Kwatra will be appointed as India’s next ambassador to the United States.

Misri, well-versed in China affairs, is poised to become India’s new foreign secretary. As India’s ambassador to Beijing from 2019 to 2021, he played a pivotal role in managing relations during the Ladakh standoff. His extensive diplomatic career includes ambassadorial roles in Spain and Myanmar, and service as private secretary to three Indian prime ministers.

India’s ambassador to France, Jawed Ashraf, who previously served in the Prime Minister’s Office under both Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi, is likely to replace Misri in the National Security Council Secretariat.

His current year-long extension in service, ending in September, underscores his potential for the role, a top priority for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government’s foreign policy agenda.

Kwatra is set to be the next envoy to the US, following the retirement of Taranjit Sandhu in January. The government also needs to appoint India’s new permanent representative to the UN in New York, following Ruchira Kamboj’s retirement earlier this month, who was the first woman in that role.