Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri Given One-year Extension
New Delhi: The Union government on Wednesday (July 1) granted foreign secretary Vikram Misri a one-year extension, making him the latest among a series of senior officials whose tenures have been extended beyond the age of superannuation under the Modi government.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Wednesday approved Misri's extension under the provisions of Fundamental Rule 56(d), which permits the government to extend the service of certain key officials beyond the retirement age of 60.
A 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Misri took over as foreign secretary on July 15, 2024 after succeeding Vinay Kwatra, who himself had received a six-month extension before being appointed India's ambassador to the United States.
Before Kwatra, S. Jaishankar was granted a one-year extension in 2017 before retiring from the service and later entering politics as external affairs minister.
Misri's extended tenure is also expected to cover a period of significant diplomatic activity, including ongoing trade negotiations with Washington, efforts to conclude the India-EU FTA and preparations for major international engagements, including the upcoming BRICS summit and the postponed India-Africa Forum Summit.
Wednesday's extension fits into a broader personnel policy pursued by the Modi government, which has relied on extensions and post-retirement appointments to retain senior officials in positions it considers strategically important.
In recent years, the Union government has extended the tenures of former home secretary Ajay Bhalla, former cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, former defence secretary Giridhar Aramane, Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Kumar Deka and former Central Bureau of Direct Taxes chairman Nitin Gupta.
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