Prime Minister Narendra Modi has fired Sujatha Singh, the country’s highest ranking diplomat, and replaced her with India’s ambassador to the United States, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, a day after a successful visit by US President Barack Obama. Modi’s appointment of Jaishankar as foreign secretary, the top bureaucrat at the foreign ministry, underscores the prime minister’s control over foreign affairs. But his abrupt sacking of Sujatha Singh, the foreign secretary appointed by the previous Congress administration, was criticised by the Congress party. Since he swept to power last year, Modi has virtually taken over the reins of foreign policy, beginning with an unprecedented invitation to regional leaders to attend his inauguration and followed by high profile meetings with the leaders of United States, China, Japan and Australia. Singh was asked to step down from the post, the government said late on Wednesday, with seven months to go before retirement. The last time the head of the elite foreign service was removed was in the late 1980s. “Why have you replaced the head of the foreign service so unceremoniously,†Manish Tewari, a leader of the Congress party said. “A big responsibility. I am honoured that I have been assigned this responsibility,†Jaishankar told reporters as he took charge. Jaishankar has previously been ambassador to China and Singapore.
