Vinay Mohan Kwatra

Vinay Mohan Kwatra is an Indian diplomat of Indian Foreign Service who served as the 34th Foreign Secretary of India, from May 2022 until July 2024 and is currently serving as Ambassador of India to the United States. Previously, he has served as the Ambassador of India to France and Nepal.

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Early life and education

Vinay Mohan Kwatra was born on 15 December 1962. He holds a degree of B Sc Agriculture and Animal Husbandry from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, and Master's in Science (M.Sc.). Kwatra speaks French, Hindi and English. He has also obtained a diploma in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

Career

He has previously served at Ministry of External Affairs, India and Prime Minister's Office as Joint Secretary. He has also served as Minister at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C. from May 2010 to July 2013. Between July 2013 and October 2015, Mr. Kwatra headed the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs and later served as the head of the Americas Division in the Foreign Ministry where he dealt with India's relations with the United States and Canada. He has served at different positions in many of India's missions abroad and in India. Kwatra holds an experience of nearly 32 years in a range of assignments and joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1988.

Foreign Secretary

On 4 April 2022, it was announced that Mr. Kwatra will succeed Harsh Vardhan Shringla to assume the post of the Foreign Secretary of India upon the latter's superannuation of the post on 30 April 2022. On 1 May, he became the 34th Foreign Secretary of India and was succeeded by Vikram Misri on 14 July 2024.

Personal life

He is married to Pooja Kwatra. The couple has two sons.