NEW DELHI: Former Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Thursday emerged as a surprise entrant into Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s new Cabinet as he replaced Sushma Swaraj as the Minister of External Affairs.
S Jaishankar, often hailed as PM Modi's 'crisis manager', was appointed as Foreign Secretary in January 2015 after Prime Minister Modi-led NDA government took a decision to dismiss then Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh.
He is also known as the government`s key strategist for China and the US. A 1977-batch IFS officer, Jaishankar played a key role in resolving the crisis following the incursion in Ladakh's Depsang and the Doklam stand-off, handling the tough negotiations with Beijing.
Therefore, Jaishankar could play a pivotal role as External Affairs Minister amid increasing trade war tensions between the US and China and for consolidating regional strength.
However, on the day portfolios were announced, his son 'Dhruva Jaishankar' stole some of his father's limelight by posting a tongue-in-cheek tweet.
Responding to an apparently misplaced request to the new Foreign Affairs Minister for help regarding visa or passport, Dhruva said, "Dude. Wrong Twitter".
Dude. Wrong Twitter handle. https://t.co/5RoWA4WgEy
— Dhruva Jaishankar (@d_jaishankar) May 31, 2019
This was followed by a humorous clarification from Dhruva in which he said, "And before anyone asks, I can absolutely not help anyone with their passport, visa, or getting-you-out-of-a-foreign-prison problems."
And before anyone asks, I can absolutely not help anyone with their passport, visa, or getting-you-out-of-a-foreign-prison problems.
I have plenty of those problems myself (other than the prisons - I try to stay clear of those).
— Dhruva Jaishankar (@d_jaishankar) May 31, 2019
Dhruva added, "I have plenty of those problems myself (other than the prisons - I try to stay clear of those)."
The exchange was clearly a reflection of how former External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was always one tweet away from helping people with their passport or visa troubles.
