New Delhi: Vinay Mohan Kwatra, a 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, has taken charge as India’s new Foreign Secretary. Kwatra has succeeded Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who retired from service on Saturday.

“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 was serving as India’s envoy to Nepal before assuming the charge of the foreign secretary.

Kwatra is known to be having extensive expertise in dealing with India’s neighbourhood as well as the US, China and Europe. Before his diplomatic posting to Nepal in 2020, he served as the Ambassador of India to France from August 2017 to February 2020.

A career 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. /BI/