Modi Cabinet 2.0: Dr. S Jaishankar becomes first career diplomat and former Foreign Secretary to join illustrious Minister of External Affairs list

Former Foreign Secretary Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has been appointed as the new Minister of External Affairs in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Cabinet 2.0.  He became the first career diplomat and foreign secretary to handle the key portfolio.

In what is said to a well-thought move towards foreign policy, the newly inducted Minister of External Affairs has a diplomatic career of over three decades. 

A Padma Shri awardee by President Ram Nath Kovind, Jaishankar has served as foreign secretary in January 2015, after PM Modi dismissed the foreign secretary Sujatha Singh. He has been the country's longest-serving foreign secretary in four decades and helped craft much of PM Modi's foreign policy.

A former ambassador to China, Jaishankar had played a key role in resolving the crisis following the incursion in Ladakh's Depsang and the 73 days long Doklam stand-off, handling the tough negotiations with Beijing. He is credited to end the Chinese policy of issuing stapled visas to Indians from Jammu and Kashmir in 2010. He was also an Indian ambassador to Washington when Prime Minister Modi visited the US for the first time.

READ| Modi Cabinet 2.0: Amit Shah Is The New Home Minister, Full Portfolio List Of The Second Narendra Modi-led NDA Government Out

Here is a list of those who have held the portfolio.

1. Sushma Swaraj (May 27, 2014--May 26, 2019)

2. Salman Khurshid (October 28, 2014--26 May 2014)

3. S M Krishna (May 22, 2009--October 26, 2012)

4. Pranab Mukherjee (October 24, 2006-- May 22, 2009)

5. Manmohan Singh (November 6, 2005--October 24, 2006)

6. K Natwar Singh (May 22, 2004--November 6, 2005)

7. Yashwant Sinha (July 1, 2002, May 22, 2004)

8. Jaswant Singh (December 5, 1998-June 23, 2002)

9. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (March 19, 1998--December 5, 1998)

10. I K Gujral(June 1, 1996-- March 18, 1998)

11. Sikander Bakht (May 21, 1996--June 1, 1996)

12. Pranab Mukherjee (February 10, 1995--May 16, 1996)

13. Dinesh Singh (January 18, 1993--February 10, 1995)

READ| Modi Cabinet 2.0: Which NDA Ally Got What? Here's The Party-wise Break-up Of The Portfolio List

14. P. V. Narasimha Rao (March 31 1992--January 18, 1993)

15. Madhavsinh Solanki (June 21, 1991--March 31, 1992)

16. Vidya Charan Shukla (November 21, 1990--February 20, 1991)

17. I K Gujral (December 5, 1989--November 10, 1990)

18. V P Singh (December 2, 1989--December 5, 1989)

19. P. V. Narasimha Rao (June 25, 1988--December 2, 1989)

20. Rajiv Gandhi (July 25, 1987--June 25, 1988)

21. N. D. Tiwari (October 22, 1986--July 25, 1987)

22. P Shiv Shankar (May 12, 1986--October 22, 1986)

23. Bali Ram Bhagat (September 25, 1985--May 12, 1986)

24. Rajiv Gandhi (October 31, 1984--September 24, 1985)

25. Indira Gandhi (July 19, 1984--October 31, 1984)

26. P V Narasimha Rao(January 14, 1980--July 19, 1984)

27. Shyam Nandan Prasad Mishra (March 26, 1977--July 28, 1979)

28. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (March 26, 1977--July 28, 1979)

29. Yashwantrao Chavan (October 10, 1974--March 24, 1977)

30. Sardar Swaran Singh (June 27, 1970--October 10, 1974)

31. Dinesh Singh (February 14, 1969--June 27, 1970)

32. Indira Gandhi (06 September 1967-- 13 February 1969)

33. M. C. Chagla (November 14, 1966--September 5, 1967)

34. Sardar Swaran Singh (July 18, 1964--November 14, 1966)

35. Lal Bahadur Shastri (June 9, 1964--July 17, 1964)

36. Gulzarilal Nanda (May 27, 1964--June 9, 1964)

37. Jawaharlal Nehru (September 2, 1946--May 27, 1964)