Vinay Mohan takes charge as India's foreign secretary

Senior diplomat Vinay Mohan Kwatra, known for his expertise in dealing with India's South Asian neighbourhood, today took charge as the country's new foreign secretary, succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla who retired from the service.

A 1988-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Kwatra takes over the charges at a time when India is grappling with various geopolitical developments, including the crisis in Ukraine and border tensions with China.

Kwatra was India's Ambassador to Nepal before being appointed as the Foreign Secretary, reports our Nnew delhi correspondent.

"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 today.

Besides India's neighbourhood, Kwatra is considered an expert in handling ties with the US, Europe and China.

Before his diplomatic posting to Nepal in 2020, he had served as the Ambassador of India to France from August 2017 to February 2020.

A diplomat with over 32 years of experience, Kwatra has also held the position of a Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for two years between October 2015 and August 2017.

Kwatra headed the Policy Planning and Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs between July 2013 and October 2015 and later served as the head of the Americas Division in the Foreign Ministry where he dealt with India's relations with the US and Canada.