On June 28, Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) Vikram Misri was appointed as the next Foreign Secretary of India. Misri, a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, will officially take on the role starting July 15, succeeding the current Foreign Secretary, Vinay Kwatra.
Misri's appointment comes at a critical time as India faces numerous foreign policy challenges, including its tense relations with China following the border conflict in eastern Ladakh.
Before his appointment as Deputy NSA, Vikram Misri served as India's ambassador to China from 2019 to 2021.
Misri has a distinguished background in diplomacy, having served as private secretary to three Prime Ministers: Inder Kumar Gujral, Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi.
As one of the Ministry of External Affairs' foremost experts on China, Misri's most recent ambassadorial role was in Beijing. In January 2022, he joined the National Security Council Secretariat.
Misri, 59, is believed to have played a key role in negotiations between India and China following the significant escalation of tensions during the 2020 standoff in eastern Ladakh and the subsequent clash in the Galwan Valley between Indian and Chinese forces.
### Career and Education
Born in Srinagar in 1964, Vikram Misri completed his early education in Gwalior. He holds an undergraduate degree in history from Hindu College, Delhi University, and an MBA from XLRI.
Misri began his diplomatic career with the Indian Foreign Service as part of the 1989 batch. In his early years, he served at Indian missions in Brussels and Tunis.
Throughout his illustrious career, Misri held several significant positions, including serving as India's ambassador to Spain (2014-2016) and Myanmar (2016-2018). He also had stints in Indian missions in Pakistan, the US, Germany, Belgium, and Sri Lanka.
Misri earned a reputation as a China expert, with his last ambassadorial posting being in Beijing from January 2019 to December 2021, a period that included the Galwan Valley clashes.
On June 28, Deputy National Security Advisor (NSA) Vikram Misri was appointed as the next Foreign Secretary of India. Misri, a 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, will officially take on the role starting July 15, succeeding the current Foreign Secretary, Vinay Kwatra.
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