The Cabinet has approved the extension of foreign secretary’s service to a maximum period of two years. Accordingly, Ms Nirupama Rao, the incumbent, now will serve on till mid-2011.
Born on December 6, 1950, Ms Rao had assumed office of foreign secretary on August 1, 2009 and, in the normal course, would have superannuated from service towards the end of this week.
While the extension of Ms Rao’s tenure was a foregone conclusion, Wednesday’s Cabinet decision formally brings a foreign secretary’s term on a par with that of the home secretary, cabinet secretary and the intelligence chiefs.
A press release issued after the Cabinet meeting said: “The Union Cabinet today approved the proposal to amend fundamental rule (FR) 56 (d) to provide for extension in service to the foreign secretary for such period or periods as may be considered necessary in public interest, subject to the condition that the total term as foreign secretary does not exceed two years.
“This is in view of the assignment of foreign secretary having increasingly acquired critical dimensions from the national security and strategic perspective, and the need to ensure continuity and swiftness in the decision making process.”