Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the new Indian Ambassador to the United States

India has appointed former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra as its new ambassador to the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday. Kwatra, an experienced Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1988 batch, is set to take over a position that has been vacant since the retirement of Taranjit Sandhu in January 2024.

Kwatra, who recently retired as India's Foreign Secretary earlier this month, was originally slated to retire in April but had his term extended to October. Throughout his career, he has held various significant roles, including serving in China, the US, and as India's ambassador to France from August 2017 to February 2020. His diverse experience also includes positions at the Indian consulates in Durban, China, and Russia, as well as a role focusing on economic, trade, and finance issues within the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).

His academic background includes a postgraduate degree in science and a diploma in International Relations from the Graduate School of International Studies in Geneva. Fluent in French, Russian, Hindi, and English, Kwatra has also been involved in India's development program in Afghanistan, further underscoring his broad international expertise.

From May 2010 to July 2013, Kwatra served as Minister (Commerce) at the Indian embassy in Washington, and later headed the Americas division in the Ministry of External Affairs, dealing with India's relations with the US and Canada. Between 2015 and 2017, he was the Joint Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office.

Known for his extensive expertise in international relations, particularly with India's neighbors, the US, China, and Europe, Kwatra's appointment is seen as a strategic move by India to strengthen its diplomatic ties with the United States. He succeeds Harsh Vardhan Shringla as the 34th Foreign Secretary of India, a position he held from May 2022 until his retirement on July 14, 2024.

Vinay Mohan Kwatra, born on December 15, 1962, holds a B.Sc. in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, and a Master’s degree in Science. He is married to Pooja Kwatra, and they have two sons.

Kwatra's successor as Foreign Secretary, Shri Vikram Misri, assumed office on July 15, 2024. Misri, from the 1989 batch of the Indian Foreign Service, has served in various capacities at the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister’s Office, and Indian Missions abroad in Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America.

_{Courtesy: DD News}