Vinay Mohan Kwatra, a seasoned diplomat and 1988 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, has been appointed as India’s next ambassador to the United States. This announcement was made by the Ministry of External Affairs. The position had been vacant since Taranjit Singh Sandhu retired in January.
Kwatra previously served as Foreign Secretary until his retirement earlier this month, and Vikram Misri has taken over the role. Kwatra’s tenure as Foreign Secretary ended on July 15.
As a career diplomat, Kwatra has held various roles, including postings in China, the US, and as India’s envoy to France. He has also worked in PM Modi’s office and was the top bureaucrat in the foreign ministry since April 2022.
The Ministry of External Affairs has not commented on the appointment, but an official announcement is expected soon after formalities are completed in the US.
This appointment comes at a time when India-US ties have strengthened under PM Modi, with India seeing the US as a partner in standing up to a more assertive China. However, India has maintained its long-standing stance of not aligning too closely with any great power, as evident from its continued ties with Russia despite its invasion of Ukraine. PM Modi recently visited Moscow, highlighting the importance of this relationship.
