New Delhi– A storm of online abuse targeting Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has forced the seasoned diplomat to protect his X account after trolls unleashed personal attacks, doxxed his daughters, and issued threats following his announcement of an India-Pakistan ceasefire on May 10, 2025.

The relentless harassment, which falsely blamed Misri for the government’s decision, has drawn widespread condemnation from the IAS Association, opposition leaders, and journalists. However, the conspicuous silence of Union ministers, including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, has raised sharp questions about the government’s failure to shield a senior civil servant performing his duties, amplifying concerns over the protection of public officials in the face of social media vitriol. Despite Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posting over one and a half dozen times about BrahMos and Operation Sindoor, he has not mentioned Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in any of these posts.

Background and Escalation of Trolling

Vikram Misri, a 1989-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer and Foreign Secretary since July 15, 2024, has been leading press briefings on Operation Sindoor, initiated after a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22.

On May 10, Misri announced a bilateral ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, effective from 5:00 PM IST, following DGMO-level talks. Pakistan’s subsequent violations prompted Misri to clarify India’s response, but misinformation attributing the ceasefire decision to him sparked a vicious trolling campaign.

The attacks, primarily from right-wing accounts, escalated into personal abuse, with trolls labeling Misri a “traitor” and “deshdrohi.” His daughters, particularly Didon Misri, faced doxxing, with her phone number and past UNHCR internship in Myanmar falsely portrayed as “anti-national.” Threats against Misri’s family, including abusive messages targeting his wife and daughters, flooded X, forcing him to protect his account on May 11, restricting posts to approved followers.

Prominent Associations and figures rallied behind Misri:

The IAS Association issued a statement on X on May 11, expressing solidarity with Misri and condemning the personal attacks. The verified post read:

“The IAS Association stands in solidarity with Shri Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary, & his family. Unwarranted personal attacks on civil servants performing their duties with integrity are deeply regrettable. We reaffirm our commitment to uphold the dignity of public service.”

The Indian Police Service (IPS) Association also condemned the trolling, stating:

“Unequivocally condemn the deplorable personal attacks against Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri and his family.”

Two of the most prominent voices are Salman Khurshid and Shashi Tharoor, who have slammed the trolls and commended Vikram Misri and the two officers for their courage and conduct.

Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief:

“Mr Vikram Misri is a decent and an Honest Hard working Diplomat working tirelessly for our Nation. Our Civil Servants work under the Executive this must be remembered & they shouldn’t be blamed for the decisions taken by The Executive /or any Political leadership running Watan E Aziz.”

Congress leader Sachin Pilot and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also criticized the trolling, with Yadav pointing out the lack of action from the government against those responsible for the abusive posts.

Former diplomat V. Srinivas, Misri’s batchmate, praised his professionalism, stating:

“Vikram Misri is amongst India’s most celebrated Diplomats, has always epitomised the best values of service above self and Nation First approach, I express my solidarity with him.”

Nirupama Menon Rao, former Foreign Secretary, condemned the trolling:

“It’s utterly shameful to troll Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his family over the India-Pakistan ceasefire announcement. A dedicated diplomat, Misri has served India with professionalism and resolve, and there is no ground whatsoever for his vilification. Doxxing his daughter and abusing his loved ones crosses every line of decency. This toxic hate must stop—stand united behind our diplomats, not tear them down.”

P. Manivannan, a senior IAS officer in Karnataka, currently serving as the Principal Secretary to the Government in the Social Welfare Department wrote on x, " Questioning the Public Servants regarding their work is welcome as it holds them accountable. But, personal attacks are unwarranted, unacceptable and vile. Hence, we should condemn such attacks. We should raise our voice against it so that it acts as a deterrent."

Veteran Journalist and writer Madhavan Narayanan shared a post, " I have very pleasant memories of Vikram Misri when he was in the PMO with the late PM Manmohan Singh.. I was on board a long flight with the PM and still remember the bonhomie in the PM's team. Pity that such composed career diplomats are being trolled for doing a thoroughly professional job. Something is terribly wrong somewhere in a country that cannot salute excellence".

Mohammed Zubair, fact-checker, highlighted the pattern:

“First they went after Himanshi Narwal, The Wife of the Navy Officer Vinay Narwal. And now the same trolls are going after the Foreign Secretary of India, Vikram Misri and his daughter, Abusing and sharing her mobile number.”

The online abuse directed at Vikram Misri highlights the toxic nature of social media discourse, where civil servants are unfairly targeted for executing their duties. The outpouring of support from the IAS Association, political leaders, journalists, and netizens reflects a collective stand against such harassment. Calls for government action against the trolls are growing, as Misri continues to serve with professionalism amidst this unprecedented ordeal.