On May 7, at 10.30 am, as people tuned into India’s briefing on cross-border strikes on terror factories in Pakistan, they were surprised to find India’s External Affairs Secretary Vikram Misri, instead of a top military officer, facing the camera. Every day since then, whenever India needs to address the media on India’s military operations, Misri is the man to go to. So, why was he made poster boy of Operation Sindoor?
The media briefings were not for Indian media only. Whole world was listening to what India had to say on cross-border strikes. India needed a credible and effective face who could convince the world that India was not an offender but a victim. Who could do it better than a former advertising professional? The 1989-batch IFS officer Misri was part of the advertising industry before clearing the UPSC.
DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF PAKISTAN AND KASHMIR
Advertising India’s achievements in the international arena thus came naturally to him as part of his diplomatic role. That became evident when the suave, soft-spoken diplomat gently parried all probing questions from the media without any ado. Besides, who could have been better to peddle India’s case on Kashmir before an international audience than a Kashmiri? Yes, Misri is a Kashmiri Pandit.
That he worked on the Pakistan desk at the Ministry of External Affairs, was an added advantage to him for this job. His formative years in Kashmir too imbued him with a deep understanding of unique cultural and geopolitical dynamics, which have come in handy both in his present job and various diplomatic engagements preceding it.
To have a better understanding of who Vikram Misri is let’s peep into his diplomatic career so far.
He served as a staff member for two former Foreign Ministers, I.K. Gujral and Pranab Mukherjee. He was also a senior staff member in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) of three Prime Ministers: I.K. Gujral, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and Narendra Modi. Also, as Indian envoy in China from 2019 to 2021, he coordinated India’s efforts to fight Covid pandemic besides resolving the India-China relations post-Galwan clashes. Vikram Misri is endowed with such rich experience in administration and diplomacy; no wonder then that PM Modi chose him as the country’s Foreign Secretary in July 2024. Before that, he also served as Deputy National Security Advisor (Strategic Affairs) for six months.
INTERNATIONAL POSTINGS
Misri’s international postings include Belgium, Tunis, Pakistan, China, Spain, Germany, Myanmar and Washington D.C. He has also served as the Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and as the Consul General in Munich. In 2014, he was appointed India’s Ambassador to Spain.
This was followed by his appointment as Ambassador to Myanmar in 2016. There he had to handle the situation arising out of a militant’s attack on Indian forces in which 18 Indian soldiers belonging to 6 Dogra regiment were killed and 11 injured on June 4, 2015. India’s retaliatory attack inside Myanmar border on June 9, saw bases being run on Myanmar’s soil destroyed completely. He went on to serve as Ambassador to China from January 2019 until December 2021.
CHINA EXPERT
Those who know Vikram Misri in the Ministry of External Affairs describe him as progressive, forward-thinking, and deeply familiar with both the internal dynamics of India’s current administration and the complexities of its foreign relations. Prior to becoming the Foreign Secretary, he served as Deputy National Security Advisor and, before that, as Ambassador in Beijing. His varied experiences have earned him the label of a “China expert.”
Notably, during Misri’s tenure as Ambassador in Beijing, the Galwan clashes in eastern Ladakh occurred, resulting in the martyrdom of at least 20 Indian soldiers in a violent confrontation with Chinese PLA troops, who also suffered casualties.
In December 2021, before returning to India, Misri told China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi that continued communication at political, diplomatic, and military levels would help resolve the current difficulties and advance the relationship in a positive direction. He acknowledged the India-China relationship as containing both opportunities and challenges, with the latter having overshadowed the former in 2020.
FIRST INITIATIVE
Misri’s unique qualifications are further highlighted by his role as Private Secretary to three Prime Ministers from different political parties: I.K. Gujral (1997–1998), Manmohan Singh (2012–2014), and Narendra Modi (May–July 2014). This experience has given him invaluable insight into the workings of top echelons of the Government as well as India’s leadership across political spectrums.
True to India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, Misri embarked on his first overseas visit to Bhutan within three days of assuming his new role as Foreign Secretary. Bhutan is critical for India, especially with its resumed border talks with China under the previous government.
However, the new government, led by Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay, appears to be more favourable towards India. During his visit, Misri met with Bhutan’s King, Prime Minister, and his counterpart, and co-chaired development cooperation talks between the two countries.
EDUCATION
Born in Srinagar, Misri received his early education in Jammu and Kashmir, attending Burn Hall School and DAV School in Srinagar, and Carmel Convent School in Udhampur. He completed his schooling at the Scindia School in Gwalior. Misri holds a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in History from Hindu College, University of Delhi, and an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur.
Before joining the government, he spent three years in the private sector, working in advertising with Lintas India in Bombay and Contract Advertising in Delhi, and in advertising film-making. Misri is a Fellow of the Aspen Institute USA’s India Leadership Initiative, now known as the Kamalnayan Bajaj Fellowship. He is fluent in Hindi, English, and Kashmiri, and has a working knowledge of French. He is married to Dolly Misri, and the couple has two children.
CHALLENGES
One of his significant challenges will be managing India’s stance on “strategic autonomy,” which has allowed the country to balance its relationships with both the US-led West and Russia. This fallout primarily stems from India’s resistance to condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On July 11, US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti remarked that “strategic autonomy” has no place during times of conflict, emphasizing the need for trusted partnerships in crisis situations.
In the neighbourhood, his experience in Myanmar (2016) will be valuable as he navigates the situation with Myanmar’s junta government, which has led to turmoil and an influx of refugees into India.
FOREIGN SECRETARY’S ROLE
The foreign secretary is the top official in the Ministry of External Affairs and the main advisor to the Minister of External Affairs on policies and administrative matters within the ministry. He also leads India’s diplomatic corps.
The foreign secretary also represents the Ministry of External Affairs in front of the Public Accounts Committee of the Indian Parliament, recommends appointments for senior positions (like secretary, additional secretary, and joint secretary) in the Ministry of External Affairs to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and is the most senior official among the other Secretaries in the Ministry of External Affairs.
