Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri gets one-year extension in service till July 2027

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a one-year extension in service for Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, allowing him to continue in the post until July 14, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Misri, a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, assumed charge as Foreign Secretary on July 15, 2024. He was scheduled to complete his tenure on July 14, 2026, but the latest decision will enable him to continue leading India’s foreign policy establishment for another year.

A career diplomat with extensive global experience

A career diplomat, Misri has served in several key positions at the Ministry of External Affairs, the Prime Minister’s Office and Indian diplomatic missions across Europe, Africa, Asia and North America.

During his assignments in New Delhi, Misri worked on the Pakistan desk at the Ministry of External Affairs and also served on the staff of two former External Affairs Ministers — I.K. Gujral and Pranab Mukherjee.

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He has also served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office and was Private Secretary to three Prime Ministers — I.K. Gujral, Dr Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.

Misri’s overseas assignments have included postings in Brussels, Tunis, Islamabad and Washington DC. He also served as Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Consul General of India in Munich.

He was appointed India’s Ambassador to Spain in 2014, Ambassador to Myanmar in 2016, and later served as India’s Ambassador to China from January 2019 to December 2021. Before taking charge as Foreign Secretary, Misri served as Deputy National Security Adviser (Strategic Affairs) from January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024.

From Srinagar roots to a diplomatic career

Born in Srinagar, Misri completed his early education in Jammu and Kashmir before studying at The Scindia School in Gwalior. He later earned a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in History from Hindu College, University of Delhi, followed by an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur.

Before joining government service, Misri worked for three years in the private sector, including in advertising with Lintas India in Mumbai and Contract Advertising in Delhi, besides working in advertising film-making.

He is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute USA’s India Leadership Initiative (now the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship). Misri speaks Hindi, English and Kashmiri fluently and has working knowledge of French.

Misri is married to Dolly Misri, and the couple has two children.

His extension comes as India continues to manage a challenging international environment marked by shifting geopolitical equations, strategic competition and expanding diplomatic engagements across regions.