MOSCOW - Harsh Vardhan Shringla, India's ambassador to US, will become the new Foreign Secretary, a source in the Indian Ministry of External Affairs stated.

A foreign secretary is the administrative leader of the ministry and the main adviser to the minister. At the moment, Vijay Keshav Gokhale serves in this position.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Ambassador in Washington DC as Foreign Secretary with effect from 29.01.2020 upon completion of two year of Shri Vijay Keshav Gokhale as Foreign Secretary on 28.01.2020", a government statement read.

Harsh Vardhan Shringla previously served as the High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh and Ambassador to Thailand.

​The diplomat has been a member of the Indian Foreign Service since 1984.