S Jaishankar takes oath; Why he can be crucial for India’s international relations

New Delhi, May 30: Former foreign secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar took oath today as a Union Minister and is set to be part of the new Narendra Modi government.

Jaishankar, a 1977 batch Indian Foreign Officer, is considered an expert on foreign affairs and was the longest-serving foreign secretary. He is especially considered an expert on India-China ties.

He has served as Indian ambassador is many countries including the United States and China.

When it came to foreign policy and strategic affairs, it is said that Modi immensely valued Jaishankar's views. In 2015, he was made the Foreign Secretary and eyebrows were raised as a number of seniors were overlooked.

He became FS after then foreign secretary Sujata Singh was unceremoniously removed.

Jaishankar, who played a pivotal role in ending the Doklam crisis between India and China, was conferred the Padma Shree in 2019.

Jaishankar's career:

Jaishankar, a surprise pick in Narendra Modi's council of ministers, is a seasoned diplomat who was the Indian government's pointsman for China and the US. Jaishankar, son of late K Subrahmanyam, one of India's leading strategic analysts, was a key member of the Indian team which negotiated the landmark Indo-US nuclear deal. The deal, initiated in 2005, took several years to craft, and was signed by the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh in 2007.

Jaishankar's appointment as foreign secretary in January 2015 had evoked a sharp reaction from various quarters over the timing of the government's decision to remove Sujatha Singh. He had earlier served as India's Ambassador to the US and before that to China.

A 1977-batch IFS officer, Jaishankar played a key role in resolving the crisis following the incursion in Ladakh's Depsang and the Doklam stand-off, handling the tough negotiations with Beijing. Among other positions, Jaishankar has been India's High Commissioner to Singapore and Ambassador to the Czech Republic.