IANS

New Delhi, Aug 1: Nirupama Rao took charge as India's foreign secretary Saturday and stressed that she will focus on upgrading the foreign service to enable New Delhi to play "an even more prominent role in world affairs".

"I have before me a complex and yet fascinating assignment," Rao, the second woman to head India's foreign service, told reporters after moving into her new office in South Block.

"Today, in a rapidly evolving world situation, the task is to further augment our diplomatic and professional capabilities as we are called upon to play an even more prominent role in world affairs...This will be an important area of focus in my new responsibilities," she said.

Rao succeeded Shivshankar Menon at a brief ceremony in South Block. Chokila Iyer was the first woman to serve as India's foreign secretary in 2001.

"Our foreign service counts among the best in the world," Rao said while lauding the "professionalism and dedication" of Indian diplomats who are required to handle issues in a "focussed, mature and balanced" manner.

Outlining India's foreign policy interest, which includes regional challenges and relations with neighbours, Rao underlined that "economic diplomacy and public diplomacy are also issues that demand increased attention".

A topper of the 1973 Indian Foreign Service batch, Rao became the first woman spokesperson of the external affairs ministry in 2001. She then went on become the Indian envoy to Sri Lanka and then China before returning to New Delhi.

In her 36-year-long career, she has served also as ambassador in Peru and deputy chief of mission in Moscow.

Rao's tenure as foreign secretary will end in December 2010, when she will retire from the foreign service.