Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale was on Monday appointed the Foreign Secretary for a two-year term, news agency PTI reported. He will succeed S Jaishankar, who is due to complete his tenure on January 28, according to an official order.

A 1981 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Gokhale has earlier served as India’s envoy to China. Presently he is secretary (economic relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

Gokhale’s appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, according to the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training. Incumbent foreign secretary S Jaishankar was appointed to the post on January 29, 2015, for two years. He was given a one-year extension in January last year.

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