India names new point person for Gulf affairs
NEW DELHI, June 30, 2024
Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the appointment of Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State, as the new point person for the Gulf, reported Wam.
This follows the constitution of India’s new Council of Ministers on June 9 after elections to Parliament’s lower House, the Lok Sabha.
Singh assumed charge as Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on June 11. He was given charge of the Gulf in the division of MEA work among ministers by India’s External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar.
It was notified to the public through an organogram that was updated yesterday to reflect changes.
A key environmental activist, Singh had won several cases pertaining to illegal sand mining against state governments in Green Tribunal. In 2024 he was re-elected as the Member of Parliament from Gonda in the pivotal 18th Lok Sabha elections, from a BJP ticket.
In tis new role, Singh will have concurrent charge of consular, passports and visa work, among other subjects. He will also deal with Overseas Indian Affairs. Both are subjects of vast interest in the Gulf because of a large Indian diaspora in the GCC countries.
India has a combined division for consular, passports and visas as well as Overseas Indian Affairs in the MEA. Muktesh Kumar Pardeshi will continue as the senior-most civil servant assisting Singh in this work.
In another development, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet of India has approved the appointment of Vikram Misri, Deputy National Security Adviser, as the next Indian Foreign Secretary.
Misri will replace Vinay Kwatra, the current Foreign Secretary of India, effective July 15, according to an order by the country's Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
