Who is Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's next ambassador to US? 10 things about him

Earlier on July 15, Vikram Misri succeeded Kwatra as India's foreign secretary.

Published on: Jul 19, 2024, 13:23:15 IST

By HT News Desk

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The ministry of external affairs on Friday appointed former foreign secretary of India Vinay Mohan Kwatra as the next ambassador of India to the US. The EAM announced that Vinay Mohan Kwatra will be taking up assignments soon.

Ambassador Kwatra is an IFS officer from the 1988 batch and has taken over the position which has been left vacant after Taranjit Sandu, retired in January 2024.

Earlier on July 15, Vikram Misri succeeded Kwatra as India's foreign secretary.

ALSO READ | Vikram Misri may be next foreign secretary, Vinay Kwatra new envoy to US

Who is Vinay Mohan Kwatra?

Vinay Mohan Kwatra retired as India's foreign secretary earlier in July, and was slated to retire on April 30 but was extended to October.
Kwatra is an Indian Foreign Services officer from the 1988 batch and has taken over the position which has been left vacant after Taranjit Sandu, retired in January 2024.
Kwatra has previously served in China, the US, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office and as India's envoy to France from August 2017 to Febrauary 2020. He has also served at the Indian consulate in Durban, China, and Russia.
He has also served as the head of economic, trade, and finance issues in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
He has also worked in the India’s development programme in Afghanistan by the MEA.
Kwatra holds a postgraduate degree in science and is fluent in French and Russian, along with Hindi and English languages, reported Business Standard. He also has a International Relations Diploma from the Graduate School of International Studies in Geneva.
Until 1993, Kwatra served as the third secretary and then second secretary in the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva right after joining the services.
From May 2010 till July 2013, Kwatra served as minister (commerce) in the Indian embassy in Washington.
Between July 2013 and October 2015, Kwetra headed the Americas division in the foreign and helmed the policy planning & research division of the MEA.
Between 2015 and 2017, Kwatra was the joint secretary at the Prime Minister’s office.

(with inputs from news agencies)

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