Born on November 7, 1964, Vikram Misri is an Indian diplomat. Having succeeded Vinay Mohan Kwatra as India’s 35th Foreign Secretary in July 2024, he is now in office. Prior to that, he succeeded Pankaj Saran as India’s Deputy National Security Advisor on January 1, 2022, and held that position until July 14, 2024.[1] On the other hand, he represented India as an ambassador to China from January 2019 to December 2021.[2]
He formerly held positions as India’s ambassador to Spain and Myanmar in addition to serving as the private secretary to Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh, Inder Kumar Gujral, and Narendra Modi[3].[4][5]
1989 batch Indian Foreign Service officer Vikram Misri has been appointed next #ForeignSecretary. He will succeed Vinay Mohan Kwatra. @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/eG068EvqeP
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) June 28, 2024
Background
Misri, who held the position of Indian ambassador to China from 2019 to 2021, is well-known for having strong connections within the Chinese government. He is thought to have been crucial in the negotiations with China when hostilities erupted after the fighting in June 2020 in the Galwan Valley.
As per the official statement, Kwatra, who was granted a six-month extension in March, will stay in his current position till July 14. It is anticipated that he will be named US ambassador. Misry, who was born in Srinagar in 1964, has an MBA from XLRI and a bachelor’s degree in history from Delhi University’s Hindu College.
Career of Vikram Misri
Three prime ministers—Inder Kumar Gujral, Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi—had him as their private secretary. He took up Pankaj Saran’s position as Deputy NSA in the National Security Council Secretariat on January 1, 2022.
In addition to postings at other Indian embassies, including those in Pakistan, the US, Germany, Belgium, and Sri Lanka, Misri was India’s ambassador to Spain from 2014 to 2016 and Myanmar from 2016 to 2018.
READ: MALDIVES ARRESTS TWO MINISTERS FOR ALLEGED BLACK MAGIC ON PRESIDENT MUIZZU