Indian foreign secretary Sujatha \\\'sacked\\\'

India Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh's tenure was "curtailed" Wednesday night - six months early - and India's ambassador to the US, S Jaishankar, was appointed as the new Foreign Secretary, report agencies.

She is the second Indian foreign secretary to resign after A P Venkateswaran who put in his papers when late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi publicly said he was looking for a new foreign secretary.

"The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the following: Curtailment of tenure of Ms Sujatha Singh, IFS 1976, as Foreign Secretary with immediate effect… Appointment of Dr S Jaishankar, IFS 77, as Foreign Secretary with a tenure of two years, from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders," said an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.