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India has appointed its former envoy to China, Vijay Keshav Gokhale, as the country’s new Foreign Secretary, the Ministry of Personnel said in a statement on Tuesday.

“Gokhale, currently Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, will take over from incumbent S. Jaishankar when he demits office on Jan. 28,’’ the ministry said, according to the News Agency of Nigetia, NAN.

A career diplomat, Gokhale is proficient in Chinese language and has wide experience in dealing with East Asian countries.

He has earlier served as Director (China and East Asia) and subsequently as Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The ministry said that in 2015, he was appointed Ambassador to China for two years.

It added that he has also served in China’s Hong Kong, Malaysia and Vietnam in various capacities.