New Delhi, June 30 India's Ambassador to China Nirupama Rao was named as the next Foreign Secretary of India on Tuesday.

Rao succeeds Shivshankar Menon who will retire on Wednesday (July 31) having completing his eventful three-year stint as the top diplomat.

Fifty eight-year-old Nirupama Rao, a 1973-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, who has served in a number of key positions, will be the second woman Foreign Secretary of India after Chokila Iyer.

She will take over the charge as the Indian Foreign Secretary at a time when India-Pakistan are going through tough times in the aftermath of Mumbai terror attacks.

Prior to her posting in Beijing as Ambassador in October 2006, Rao served as Indian envoy to Sri Lanka and been country's first woman spokesperson.

Previously, Rao had served in the Indian Missions in Washington and Moscow besides having a stint in the Ministry of External Affairs as Joint Secretary (East Asia). (ANI)