New Delhi ,January 1 (NIE): The Indian government on Monday announced the appointment of Vijay Keshav Gokhale, former Ambassador in Beijing who had helped solve the India-China standoff over Doklam last year, as the new Foreign Secretary to replace S. Jaishankar who retires on January 28.
The appointment of Gokhale, currently Secretary (Economic Relations), was cleared by the Appoinments Committee of the Cabinet, an official statement said.
Gokhale is a 1981 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service. Before taking up position in Germany as India’s top envoy, he has served in Indian missions in Hong Kong, Hanoi, Beijing and New York.
In the MEA headquarters here, Gokhale has also held the posts of director (China and East Asia) and then Joint Secretary (East Asia) and is known to be one of the most knowledgeable officials, who is well-versed with China affairs.
He will take over from Jaishankar who was appointed Foreign Secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years and given a one-year extension in January last year.
