Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri gets one-year extension

New DelhiThe government on Wednesday gave foreign secretary Vikram Misri a one-year extension in service till July 2027, signalling a desire for continuity as the country navigates intense geopolitical churn on the global stage

Updated on: Jul 2, 2026, 08:15:00 IST

ht_print | By HT Correspondent

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

New Delhi

The government on Wednesday gave foreign secretary Vikram Misri a one-year extension in service till July 2027, signalling a desire for continuity as the country navigates intense geopolitical churn on the global stage.

According to an official notification, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension in Misri’s service for one year till July 14, 2027. Misri, 61, had been set to complete his term in mid-July.

Misri, an officer of the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who has the rare distinction of serving as private secretary to three prime ministers, had taken on the role of foreign secretary on July 15, 2024. Prior to this, he served as the deputy national security adviser from January 2022 to July 2024.

He had replaced Vinay Kwatra, who was given a six-month extension as foreign secretary and subsequently appointed as the ambassador to the US.

As the ambassador to Beijing during 2019-2021, Misri played a crucial role in contacts with the Chinese government after the start of military standoff in Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in May 2020. A brutal clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops were killed, had taken bilateral ties to a six-decade low.

As foreign secretary, he played a role in engagements with China that led to the understanding in October 2024 to end the face-off on the LAC.

Misri also served as India’s ambassador to Spain (2014-2016) and Myanmar (2016-2018). He served as private secretary to prime minister IK Gujral (1997-1998), prime minister Manmohan Singh (2012-2014) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (May to July 2014).

He has also had stints in the Indian missions in Belgium, Pakistan, the US, Sri Lanka and Germany.

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather major national developments and Karnataka Bandh LIVE.