1988-batch IFS officer Vinay Mohan Kwatra takes cost as new External Affairs secretary

By PTI

NEW DELHI: Seasoned diplomat Vinay Mohan Kwatra on Sunday took cost as India’s new External Affairs secretary at a time New Delhi is coping with varied geopolitical developments together with the disaster in Ukraine.

A 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Kwatra succeeded Harsh Vardhan Shringla who retired from service on Saturday. Kwatra was serving as India’s envoy to Nepal earlier than assuming the cost of the international secretary.

Shri Vinay Kwatra assumed cost as Foreign Secretary immediately morning. #TeamMEA needs Foreign Secretary Kwatra a productive and profitable tenure forward. pic.twitter.com/fiNvBwIpNg

— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) May 1, 2022

“Shri Vinay Kwatra assumed charge as Foreign Secretary today morning. #TeamMEA wishes Foreign Secretary Kwatra a productive and successful tenure ahead,” MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted on Sunday.

Kwatra is thought to be having in depth experience in coping with India’s neighbourhood in addition to the US, China and Europe.

He took cost because the international secretary at a time India is coping with varied geopolitical developments together with the Ukraine battle, the extreme financial disaster in Sri Lanka and state of affairs in Afghanistan and developments within the Indo-Pacific.

Before his diplomatic posting to Nepal in 2020, he served because the Ambassador of India to France from August 2017 to February 2020. A profession diplomat with over 32 years of expertise, Kwatra has additionally held the place of a Joint Secretary within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for 2 years between October 2015 and August 2017.

Kwatra headed the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs between July 2013 and October 2015 and later served as the pinnacle of the Americas Division within the Foreign Ministry the place he handled India’s relations with the US and Canada.