Seasoned diplomat and India's High Commissioner to Pakistan Shiv Shankar Menon was on Thursday appointed as the new foreign secretary succeeding Shyam Saran who will be special envoy for negotiations on the Indo-US nuclear agreement.

A 1972-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Menon will take charge of his new assignment on October one. He supersedes a number of Foreign Service officials.

Holding a Masters in History from Delhi University, 57 year old Menon will have three-year

tenure. During his diplomatic career, he has served in China, Israel, Austria, Japan and Sri Lanka. He also had a stint in the Department of Atomic Energy as an Adviser.

Contrary to speculation that he was being given a year's extension, Saran will relinquish office on September 30 after holding the key post for about two years.

An official announcement said that Saran will be a special envoy for negotiations on the Indo-US nuclear deal. As foreign secretary he has been at the helm of affairs in the tough negotiations with US interlocutors on the civil nuclear deal.