pixelcut export 37 1 Best Business Magazine In India

Vikram Misri, seasoned diplomat and China expert, takes on India’s Foreign Secretary role amid complex global challenges and transitions.

In a significant transition within India’s diplomatic framework, seasoned diplomat Vikram Misri, who has had a very distinguished career, assumed the responsibilities of Foreign Secretary, succeeding to Vinay Kwatra. An officer of the Indian Foreign Service Batch of 1989, Misri enjoys the reputation for deft handling of matters related to China and national security; he will definitely be the key person as India faces umpteen geopolitical challenges.

A Job Marked by Strategic Engagements

Vikram Misri has had a long career in diplomacy, spanning assorted roles within the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Indian missions on the continents of Europe, Africa, Asia, and North America. His immediate past assignment as Deputy National Security Adviser underlines his proximity to issues of national security, especially those relating to China.

Before he was appointed deputy NSA, Misri served as India’s ambassador to China from 2019-2021. These were the times of heightened tensions with the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020. His role in facilitating dialogue between India and China at that critical time was a significant contribution to managing the complex bilateral relationship. The Galwan Valley incident marked the most serious military conflict between the two countries in decades and underscored the need for deft diplomatic negotiation, a challenge Misri handled admirably.

Diplomatic Tenures and Strategic Influence

His diplomatic acumen is further underpinned by tenures as Ambassador to Spain from 2014-2016 and Myanmar from 2016-2018. There are also superb postings to all corners of the world, including in Pakistan, the US, Germany, Belgium, and Sri Lanka.

One of Misri’s unique distinctions is that he has served as private secretary to three prime ministers: Inder Kumar Gujral, Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi. This gave him arguably the keenest view of how India’s highest political echelons tick and an intimate ringside view of strategic priorities for the nation.

Academic and Early Professional Background

Born in Srinagar, Misri spent his formative years across different educational institutions—from Burn Hall School and DAV School in Srinagar to Carmel Convent School in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir. He finally did his schooling from the premier Scindia School in Gwalior. He did his bachelor’s with honours in history from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and later did an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

Before he joined the Indian Foreign Service, Misri spent three years in the private sector in advertising and advertising film-making – possibly those that sharpened his communication skills, so essential for a lifelong career in diplomacy. He is also a Fellow of the Aspen Institute USA’s India Leadership Initiative, now the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship.

The Path Ahead

Assuming office as Foreign Secretary by Vikram Misri, the international landscape is pretty intricate. Relations with China have become tense after the clashes on the Ladakh border and, therefore require a nuanced approach toward diplomatic engagement. The continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict has global repercussions and will influence strategic decisions of India and its international alignments.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to congratulating Misri and expressed confidence in his capacity to steer through these challenges. “Delighted to congratulate Foreign Secretary @VikramMisri as he takes up his new assignment today. Wish him a productive and successful tenure,” tweeted Jaishankar on X.

In fact, Misri’s innings as Foreign Secretary is going to be at least two years, and in that time, he brings all his vast experience as well as strategic acumen to help steer India’s foreign policy. His appointment has come at a time when the government is also in the process of choosing new envoys to the US and the United Nations in New York—both the previous incumbents recently demitted office.

To that end, the moment he takes over as foreign secretary, Vikram Misri seals his place in the country’s diplomatic narrative. Equipped with the expertise of dealing with China and national security and with his years-long experience in what looks like an endless list of various geopolitical landscapes, Misri is well-placed for the task ahead to take on the many challenges accruing in the report card of the future. With India continuing to have its say at different global forums, the role Misri is going to play in shaping India’s foreign policy trajectory cannot be understated.

Open chat
Scan the code
Hello
Can we help you?