Senior diplomat Pavan Kapoor, at the moment India’s envoy to Russia, was on Saturday appointed the brand new secretary (west) within the exterior affairs ministry, whereas Jaideep Mazumdar, at the moment the ambassador to Austria, was appointed the brand new secretary (east).

The appointments committee of the cupboard permitted each appointments, based on official notifications issued on Saturday.

People conversant in the matter mentioned on situation of anonymity that extra secretary Abhay Thakur, who’s the officer on particular obligation for G20 and performed a key function in negotiations throughout India’s presidency of the grouping of the world’s 20 largest economies, will probably be India’s subsequent ambassador to Russia.

Kapoor, who belongs to the 1990 batch of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), will take over as secretary (west) from Sanjay Verma, who resigned from the IFS on Thursday to grow to be a member of the Union Public Service Commission. Kapoor, who has a grasp’s in worldwide political financial system from the London School of Economics, has additionally served because the envoy to Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Mazumdar, an officer of the 1989 batch of the IFS who can be India’s everlasting consultant to UN organisations in Vienna, will substitute Saurabh Kumar as secretary (east). Mazumdar earlier served as deputy chief of mission in China and Nepal and as ambassador to the Philippines. He additionally had a stint within the Prime Minister’s Office, the place he labored on international affairs, defence and safety points.

The secretary (east) and secretary (west) are, together with the international secretary, among the many 5 senior-most diplomats within the international ministry. While the secretary (east) oversees relations with nations within the jap a part of the globe, together with key areas akin to Southeast Asia, the secretary (west) oversees relations with western nations, together with European and Eurasian states.

Thakur, a former engineer, joined the IFS in 1992. The submit of the envoy in Moscow is among the many most influential positions throughout the international ministry in view of India’s long-standing strategic ties with Russia. Thakur has earlier served as India’s envoy to Mauritius and Nigeria and as a director within the exterior affairs minister’s workplace, and speaks Russian.

The individuals mentioned Shambhu Kumaran, who joined the IFS in 1995 and at the moment the ambassador to the Philippines, is predicted to exchange Mazumdar in Vienna.

The newest appointments are being seen as the primary in a sequence of postings which might be set to be introduced within the coming weeks and months. India’s ambassador to the US, Taranjit Sandhu, retired on January 31 whereas the everlasting consultant to the UN, Ruchika Kamboj, is ready to retire on May 31, and there’s appreciable hypothesis on who will substitute them.

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra, who was as a consequence of retire on December 31, 2022, was given an extension till April 30 this 12 months. There continues to be no indication whether or not he will probably be given an additional extension or an vital ambassadorial posting in case he isn’t granted an extension, the individuals mentioned.