New Delhi, August 02: Describing her new assignment as “complex and yet fascinating,” Nirupama Rao on Saturday took over as Foreign Secretary with the focus on augmenting India’s diplomatic capabilities.
The appointment of the seasoned diplomat comes at a time when India’s relations with Pakistan are going through testing times in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks in November last.
“I strongly believe that our diplomacy and our diplomats play a vital role in promoting national interest and safeguarding our national goals of development in an atmosphere of peace and security,” she said.
The 1973-batch Indian Foreign Services officer succeeds Shiv Shankar Menon.
“Today, in a rapidly evolving world situation, the task is to further augment our diplomatic and professional capabilities as we are called upon to play an even more prominent role in world affairs. This will be an important area of focus in my new responsibilities. The foreign policy interests of our nation encompass a number of areas, which are both regional and global, and which concern relations with our neighbours and the world beyond,” she said.
–PTI