A day after US President Barack Obama left town, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government removed the foreign ministry’s top bureaucrat and replaced her with the nation’s ambassador to the US.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who also served as India’s envoy to China from 2009 to 2013, was appointed as foreign secretary, according to a government statement on Wednesday. He succeeds Sujatha Singh, who becomes the first person in the post to be removed before her term expired since 1987.
Jaishankar, 60, who was due to retire by the end of this month, played a key role during both Modi’s visit to the US in September and Obama’s recent three-day tour. He is to have a tenure of two years, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet said in the statement.
“It’s a very Modi-like decision and characteristic of the prime minister,” said C. Uday Bhaskar, director of the Society for Policy Studies in New Delhi. “It sends a message down to the bureaucracy. The message is that performers will be rewarded.”
Obama’s visit highlighted warming ties between the US and India, which are both wary of China’s geostrategic aims and looking to boost economic growth. They reached a breakthrough on civilian nuclear cooperation and signed deals to strengthen defense ties, including the possibility of sharing technology for aircraft carriers.
Along with his experience representing India in the world’s two biggest economies, Jaishankar helped negotiate the groundbreaking US-India civil nuclear agreement in 2005.
“A big plus point for Jaishankar is he has elaborate experience with the US,” former Indian foreign secretary Salman Haidar said. “This is an extremely important relationship for India and the prime minister.”
Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj plans to visit China on Feb. 1 to participate in trilateral talks that also include Russia. During Obama’s trip, the US and India highlighted the need to safeguard maritime security in the South China Sea, prompting China to urge non-claimants to butt out.
Singh, the ousted bureaucrat, spoke at a press conference during Obama’s visit and was due to retire later this year.
The last foreign secretary to leave office unceremoniously was A.P. Venkateswaran, who was kicked out by former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in part over his criticism of India’s troop presence in Sri Lanka as part of peacekeeping operations.
“This time the circumstances are unusual,” former Indian foreign secretary and former ambassador to the US Lalit Mansingh said, referring to Singh’s removal. “Ultimately the prime minister wants a foreign secretary who has his confidence, and it’s well within his right to appoint Jaishankar.”
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party rejected criticism over the timing of Singh’s removal and said it was not political, according to spokesman Nalin Satyakam Kohli.
“The government is within its right to appoint any one for any responsibility,” he said by phone. “Jaishankar is an outstanding officer and he enjoys a stunning reputation.”
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