In a key development, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of senior Indian Foreign Service officer Sripriya Ranganathan (IFS:1994) as Secretary (Consular, Passport & Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
As per an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (December 31, 2025), Ranganathan, a Grade-I officer of the IFS, will assume charge following the superannuation of Arun Kumar Chatterjee (IFS:1992) on the same date. Chatterjee has been serving as Secretary (CPV & OIA) since July 2024.
The post of Secretary (CPV & OIA) is a crucial secretary-level assignment in the MEA, responsible for some of the ministry’s most citizen-facing and diaspora-related functions. The Consular, Passport and Visa (CPV) division oversees passport issuance, visa policy, consular assistance, and the protection of Indian nationals abroad, including during emergencies, arrests, deaths, and evacuation operations.
The Overseas Indian Affairs (OIA) wing focuses on engagement with the Indian diaspora, welfare of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs), and coordination of policies related to overseas Indians. The division also plays a critical role in handling large-scale consular and evacuation operations during crises involving Indians overseas.
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