Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale was today elected as a foreign secretary for a two-year determinate term, succeeding S Jaishankar who completes his term of office on January 28, according to an official order.

Gokhale, a 1981 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), was India's envoy to China.Vijay Keshav Gokhale is at present secretary (economic relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Gokhale's appointment to the post, said the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.Jaishankar was nominated foreign secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years. He was given a one-year expansion in January last year.

Vijay Keshav Gokhale, a 1981-batch officer, presently Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, will take over from Dr S. Jaishankar when he over of his office on January 28, a notification issued by the Ministry of Personnel said on Monday.Gokhaledemits, who was Ambassador to China prior to turning back to the Ministry, has been widely credited with conducting delicate but tough diplomatic negotiations in Beijing during the Doklam crisis.Vijay Keshav talks led to a peaceful resolution of the 70-day military standoff that ended just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled to China for the BRICS summit in August 2017.