Kwatra succeeds seasoned diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu
On Friday, July 19, Vinay Mohan Kwatra was appointed India’s new Ambassador to the United States. The Ministry of External Affairs announced the development in a statement.
He is likely to take on the assignment soon, succeeding veteran diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who retired in January.
Sandhu’s impressive diplomatic career included serving as Ambassador to the United States from February 2020 to January 2024. Kwatra will now be faced with handling India-US ties at a time when the US is expecting a change of leadership, with Donald Trump at the helm.
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Who is Vinay Mohan Kwatra?
Vinay Mohan Kwatra is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer from the 1988 batch who became the 34th Foreign Secretary succeeding Harsh Vardhan Shringla and served from May 1, 2022 to July 14, 2024, during a period when India’s foreign policy was significantly challenged by the Russia-Ukraine war.
Kwatra is noted for his significant expertise in dealing with India’s neighbours, as well as the United States, China, and Europe. Before becoming Foreign Secretary, Kwatra was the Indian Ambassador to Nepal
Kwatra, a career diplomat with over 34 years of experience, served as India’s ambassador to France from August 2017 to February 2020. He also worked in the United States as minister (trade) in the Embassy in Washington, DC, from May 2010 until July 2013.
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Kwatra was also posted twice to China, first as a Counsellor and later as Deputy Chief of Mission at the embassy in Beijing. From July 2013 to October 2015, he led the Ministry of External Affairs’ Policy Planning & Research Division.
Kwatra also served as a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for two years, from October 2015 to August 2017. He is married to Pooja Kwatra and they have two sons.
