Vinay Mohan Kwatra

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His Excellency
Vinay Mohan Kwatra
IFS
Kwatra in August 2024
29th Ambassador of India to the United States
Assumed office
12 August 2024[1]
PresidentDroupadi Murmu
Preceded byTaranjit Singh Sandhu
34th Foreign Secretary of India
In office
1 May 2022 – 14 July 2024
MinisterS. Jaishankar
Preceded byHarsh Vardhan Shringla[2]
Succeeded byVikram Misri
25th Ambassador of India to Nepal
In office
March 2020 – April 2022
Preceded byManjeev Singh Puri
Succeeded byNaveen Srivastava
24th Ambassador of India to France
In office
July 2017 – February 2020
Preceded byDr. Mohan Kumar
Succeeded byJawed Ashraf
Personal details
Born (1962-12-15) 15 December 1962 (age 63)
India
Spouse(s)Pooja Kwatra
Children2 sons
EducationM.Sc
Alma mater
OccupationIndian Foreign Service
ProfessionDiplomat
RankSecretary

Vinay Mohan Kwatra (born 15 December 1962) is an Indian diplomat of Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who served as the 34th Foreign Secretary of India, from May 2022 until July 2024[3][4] and is currently serving as Ambassador of India to the United States.[5][6] Previously, he has served as the Ambassador of India to France and Nepal.[7]

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Vinay Mohan Kwatra was born on 15 December 1962.[8] He holds the degree of B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Agriculture and Animal Husbandry from G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology.[9][10] He has also obtained a diploma in International Relations from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.[11]

Diplomatic Career[edit | edit source]

Training and Posting in Switzerland[edit | edit source]

After clearing the UPSC CSE examination, Kwatra joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in 1988. Between 1988 and 1990, he completed the foundation course at LBSNAA and underwent professional diplomatic training at FSI. He was subsequently posted as Third Secretary to the Permanent Mission of India in Geneva, Switzerland where he also completed his French language training. Upon his promotion to Second Secretary, he handled responsibilities related to specialized United Nations agencies and the Human Rights Commission until 1993.[12][13]

MEA Headquarters and Overseas Assignments (1993–2003)[edit | edit source]

Vinay subsequently served as a Desk Officer at MEA Headquarters in New Delhi, where he coordinated with the United Nations. He later held assignments as Second Secretary, First Secretary and later as Counsellor in diplomatic missions in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Durban, South Africa and Karachi, Pakistan between 1993 and 2003.[13]

Deputy Chief of Mission in China[edit | edit source]

From 2003 to 2006, he served as Counsellor and was later appointed as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Beijing, China.[13]

SAARC Secretariat in Nepal[edit | edit source]

From 2006 to 2010, he served at the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu, Nepal as Director and later as a Joint Secretary.[14]

Counsellor in United States[edit | edit source]

From May 2010 to July 2013, he led the Commercial Wing at the Embassy of India in Washington, D.C. as a Counsellor, where he was responsible for advancing India’s trade and economic engagement with the United States of America.[15]

Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi[edit | edit source]

From July 2013 to October 2015, Vinay headed the Policy Planning & Research Division of the Ministry of External Affairs of India and subsequently served as the head of the Americas Division in the MEA, overseeing India’s relations with the United States and Canada.[16]

Joint Secretary in Prime Minister's Office[edit | edit source]

Ambassador Kwatra served as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi from 2015 to 2017. During this period, he later got empanelled to the rank of Additional Secretary.[17][18]

Ambassador of India to France & Monaco[edit | edit source]

Kwatra was appointed as the Ambassador of India to France & Monaco and the Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, serving from August 2017 to February 2020. During this period, he focused on streamlining the visa process for Indian students studying in France and expediting the arrival of the first batch of Rafale jets.[19] He later got empanelled to the rank of Secretary.[20][21]

Ambassador of India to Nepal[edit | edit source]

In January 2020, Kwatra was appointed as the Ambassador of India to Nepal.[22][23] During this time period, Covid-19 happened in which on behalf of the Government of India, 23 tonnes of medicines were formally handed over to Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, Minister for Health and Population of Nepal. The consignment, presented as a gift from the people of India to the people of Nepal, comprised 8.25 lakh doses of essential medicines, including 3.2 lakh doses of Paracetamol and 2.5 lakh doses of Hydroxychloroquine, more than 30,000 kits of RT-PCR and Covaxin under the Vaccine Maitri initiative.[24][25][26][27]

Foreign Secretary of India[edit | edit source]

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi along with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra met H.E. Ms. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy on the sidelines of the 50th G7 summit in Apulia, Italy on 14 June 2024

On 4 April 2022, it was announced that Mr. Kwatra would succeed Harsh Vardhan Shringla as the Foreign Secretary of India following Shringla’s superannuation on 30 April 2022, just a few months before his own retirement. He is among the relatively few Indian Foreign Service officers who joined the service at a comparatively later age of 26 and rose to the position of Foreign Secretary, reflecting an distinguished career in diplomacy.[28][29] During his engagements, Foreign Secretary Kwatra discussed regional strategic developments and India’s security concerns in light of border tensions with China since 2020, with a focus on their broader implications for regional stability.[30][31]

Ambassador to the United States[edit | edit source]

Ambassador Vinay Kwatra was honoured to present his credentials to the President of the US, Joe Biden as Ambassador of India to the United States on September 18. 2024
President Donald Trump celebrated Diwali with the Indian Diplomats and officials of the US Government in the White House

On 12 August 2024, Kwatra succeeded Taranjit Singh Sandhu as the Ambassador of India to the United States of America. During his tenure, Donald Trump assumed office as the 47th President of the United States. The Ambassador, together with officials of the Embassy, focused on strengthening bilateral relations between India and the United States.[32] Subsequently, following the 2025 Pahalgam terrorist attack, India carried out Operation Sindoor against Pakistan. Although hostilities later ceased, the cessation was not formally confirmed by the Government of India, amid reports of pressure from the United States, particularly President Trump. In an interview with CNN, he referred to the perpetrators of the attack and Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in strongly critical terms, describing them as "lowlifes" and "subhuman monsters", which drew widespread attention.[33][34][35][36]

Thereafter, the United States imposed a 25% tariff along with an additional 25% penalty tariff on India, citing its purchase of Russian oil. New regulatory measures concerning H-1B visas were also introduced, adversely affecting Indian professionals working in the United States.[37][38]

While PM Modi maintained a firm position, in January 2026 President Trump reduced the tariff on India to 18%, making it lower than those applied to Pakistan and China.[39][40][41] Throughout these developments, Ambassador Kwatra played a significant role in maintaining engagement and restoring confidence in India–US relations. Ultimately, India and the United States came close to finalizing a comprehensive trade agreement.[42][43]

Personal life[edit | edit source]

He is married to Pooja Kwatra. The couple has two sons. Kwatra speaks French, Hindi and English.[44]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Ambassador Vinay Kwatra". Embassy of India, Washington DC. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  2. ↑ Haidar, Suhasini (4 April 2022). "Former PMO official Vinay Kwatra to be next Foreign Secretary". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  3. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed India's new Foreign Secretary: Government". The Hindu. PTI. 4 April 2022. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra takes charge as new foreign secretary | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. PTI. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra Takes Charge As India's Ambassador To US". NDTV.com. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  6. ↑ Haidar, Suhasini (19 July 2024). "Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra named new Indian Ambassador to the U.S, to take charge soon". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
  7. ↑ "India picks Vinay Mohan Kwatra as its new ambassador to Nepal". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  8. ↑ "WHO IS VINAY MOHAN KWATRA?". Business Standard India. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  9. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra : कौन हैं देश के नए विदेश सचिव विनय मोहन क्वात्रा, पंत विवि से रहा है गहरा नाता". Dainik Jagran (in हिन्दी). Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  10. ↑ Rastogi, Manthan (10 April 2022). "गर्व के पल: पंतनगर यूनिवर्सिटी के छात्र रहे विनय मोहन क्वात्रा होंगे देश के नए विदेश सचिव". Uttarakhand News. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  11. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's ambassador to Nepal, to take over from Shringla as Foreign Secretary". indianexpress.com. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's Ambassador To Nepal, To Be New Foreign Secretary". NDTV.com. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "The Life of a Career Diplomat". Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra takes charge as new foreign secretary". The Times of India.
  15. ↑ "Former Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra is India's Ambassador-designate to the US". ThePrint.
  16. ↑ "Leading Benefit Society Conversation with Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's Ambassador to the US". AAAS.
  17. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed India's new Foreign Secretary". The Hindu.
  18. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the US". The Hindu.
  19. ↑ "Government of India provides assistance/medical supplies to Nepal (Press Release)". Press Information Bureau (PIB), Government of India.
  20. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the next Ambassador of India to France". Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra named India's new ambassador to France". Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Shri Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Nepal". Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  23. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra, India's Ambassador To Nepal, To Be New Foreign Secretary". NDTV. 4 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2026.
  24. ↑ "India gifts 23 tonnes of essential medicines to Nepal". Embassy of India, Kathmandu.
  25. ↑ "Embassy of India, Kathmandu – Media Release 340". Embassy of India, Kathmandu.
  26. ↑ "Indian Ambassador to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra - Editorial Images". Shutterstock Editorial.
  27. ↑ "Government of India officially hands over COVID-19 vaccines to Nepal". The Himalayan Times.
  28. ↑ "Who is Vinay Kwatra, and why he superseded seniors to be named India's next Foreign Secretary". ThePrint.
  29. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra announced as the new foreign secretary". Hindustan Times. 4 April 2022.
  30. ↑ "Amid India-China tensions, Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra concludes important visit to Bhutan". India Sentinels.
  31. ↑ "Vinay Mohan Kwatra takes charge as new Foreign Secretary". The Hindu. 1 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  32. ↑ "Indian Ambassador to US Vinay Mohan Kwatra expresses gratitude to 56th Speaker of US House of Representatives Mike Johnson". News on Air. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  33. ↑ Haidar, Suhasini. "'We are at war with terrorists': Indian Ambassador to U.S. Vinay Kwatra". The Hindu. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  34. ↑ "Shri Vinay Mohan Kwatra appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the United States of America". Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  35. ↑ ""Trade Deal With US New Economic Pillar": India's Washington Envoy To NDTV". NDTV. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  36. ↑ "India‑Pakistan tension after attack; terrorists, says Vinay Kwatra". Business Standard. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  37. ↑ "US imposes 50 percent tariff on India over Russian oil purchases". Al Jazeera. 27 August 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  38. ↑ "Indian envoy Vinay Mohan Kwatra discusses 'common interests', bilateral ties with top US diplomat". The Economic Times. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  39. ↑ "How India‑US ties evolved amid trade and geopolitical tensions". BBC News. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  40. ↑ "Trump, India Trade Deal Compared With Europe‑India Pact". CNBC. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  41. ↑ "Trump says US to cut tariffs on India to 18% as part of trade deal". Reuters. 2 February 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  42. ↑ "India-US trade deal: Hope and uncertainty as Trump cuts tariffs". www.bbc.com. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  43. ↑ "How India reached biggest trade breakthrough with US; envoy Vinay Mohan Kwatra reveals". India Today. 12 February 2026. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
  44. ↑ "Ambassador of India H.E. Vinay Mohan Kwatra". Embassy of India, Paris. Archived from the original on 30 September 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2019.


External links[edit | edit source]


Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Dr. Mohan Kumar 		Ambassador of India to France
2017–2020 		Succeeded by
Jawed Ashraf
Preceded by
Manjeev Singh Puri 		Ambassador of India to Nepal
2020–2022 		Succeeded by
Naveen Srivastava
Preceded by
Harsh Vardhan Shringla 		Foreign Secretary of India
2022-2024 		Succeeded by
Vikram Misri
Preceded by
Taranjit Singh Sandhu 		Ambassador of India to the United States
2024-Present 		Incumbent
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