New Delhi: A day after India and Pakistan agreed to de-escalate hostilities, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s social media profile on X (formerly Twitter) was set to protected mode on May 11 – effectively disabling public comments on his posts. The move followed a barrage of online trolling directed at the senior diplomat after he publicly announced the ceasefire agreement on May 10.
The government’s point person during the recent India-Pakistan conflict, Misri represented the official stance in media briefings and diplomatic communications. His supposed role in brokering the ceasefire drew both praise and hostility online, with some users targeting not just him but his family as well.
In response, a number of prominent voices, including former diplomats, analysts, journalists and politicians, rallied behind him, condemning the personal attacks and highlighting his distinguished service.
Former Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Suri posted on X, “Trolls targeting Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his family – it is disgraceful. He is professional, composed and clear-spoken.”
Foreign policy analyst Indrani Bagchi said, “Misri is a respected diplomat leading the Foreign Ministry. Trolling his family just because you were playing a fictional India-Pakistan video game in your head is not just vile – it reflects a mindset this country can do without.”
Veteran journalist Vir Sanghvi called out the online vitriol, writing, “Those trolling Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, who has done an outstanding job during this crisis, are human garbage.”
AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi also spoke in Misri’s support. “He is a decent, honest and hardworking diplomat serving the nation tirelessly. Civil servants work under the executive; they should not be scapegoated for decisions made by political leaders,” he said.
The Kerala Congress echoed similar sentiments, comparing the trolling of Misri to the recent targeting of soldier’s wife Himanshi Narwal, who had appealed for peace. “Now they are going after Vikram Misri, as if he alone decided on a unilateral ceasefire, not Modi, Shah, Rajnath or Jaishankar,” the party posted on X.
So, who is Vikram Misri?
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Misri took charge as India’s foreign secretary on July 15, 2024. A 1989 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, he has held several diplomatic assignments in Europe, Asia and North America.
He has worked on the Pakistan desk at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and served on the teams of former External Affairs Ministers I.K. Gujral and Pranab Mukherjee. Misri has also been a joint secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office and served as private secretary to three prime ministers – I.K. Gujral, Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.
His overseas assignments have included postings in Brussels, Tunis, Islamabad, Washington DC, Colombo and Munich. He served as Ambassador to Spain (2014), Myanmar (2016) and China (2019-2021). Most recently, Misri was India’s deputy national security advisor – a role he held from January 2022 to June 2024.
Born in Srinagar, Misri received his early education in Srinagar and Udhampur, later graduating from The Scindia School in Gwalior. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Hindu College, Delhi University and an MBA from XLRI, Jamshedpur. Before joining the civil services, he worked in advertising and film production.