Rajeev Sharma tells us: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is all set to get an extension and the official announcement may happen "any day" considering that his two-year tenure ends on January 28, knowledgeable sources said.

It is not clear if India's top diplomat will get a one year or two year extension.

However, the former scenario -- a one year extension -- seems more likely.

An influential section of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh is understood to have pitched in for elevating Vijay Gokhale, currently India's ambassador in China, as foreign secretary.

In case Jaishankar is given only a one year extension, Gokhale will still be in with a chance to become foreign secretary as he retires on January 24, 2019.

In the event of Jaishankar getting a one year extension, many senior diplomats would lose the chance of being considered for the top  post in the ministry of external affairs.

These include Anil Wadhwa, India's ambassador to Italy and currently the senior most diplomat in the MEA, Sujata Mehta, secretary (West), Navtej Sarna, India's ambassador to the United States, Amar Sinha, secretary (economic relations), Ranjit Rae, dean, Foreign Service Institute, and Amrendra Khatua, director general, Indian Council of Cultural Research.