The government on Wednesday granted Foreign Minister Vikram Misri a one-year extension in service until July 2027, signaling a desire for continuity at a time when the country is facing intensifying geopolitical turmoil on the global stage.
According to an official notification, the Cabinet Appointments Committee approved an extension of Al-Masry’s service by one year until July 14, 2027. Al-Masry, 61, was scheduled to complete his term in mid-July.
Masri, a 1989-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who has the rare distinction of serving as private secretary to three prime ministers, took charge as Foreign Minister on July 15, 2024. Before that, he served as Deputy National Security Advisor from January 2022 to July 2024.
He replaced Vinay Kwatra, who was given a six-month extension as Foreign Minister and was subsequently appointed Ambassador to the United States.
As Ambassador to Beijing during 2019-2021, Al-Masry played a crucial role in communications with the Chinese government after the start of the military standoff in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control in May 2020. The brutal clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese soldiers were killed, brought bilateral relations to their lowest levels in six decades.
As Secretary of State, he played a role in dealings with China that led to an understanding in October 2024 to end the standoff over the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Al Masri also served as India’s ambassador to Spain (2014-2016) and Myanmar (2016-2018). He served as Private Secretary to Prime Minister I K Gujral (1997-1998), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (2012-2014), and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (May to July 2014).
He has also held assignments in Indian missions in Belgium, Pakistan, the United States, Sri Lanka and Germany.
