▁next ▁senior ▁director ▁for ▁India , ▁Pakistan ▁and ▁Central ▁Asian ▁Affairs ▁at ▁United ▁States ▁National ▁Security ▁Council ▁( NS C ). ▁An onymous ▁sources ▁within ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁India ▁told ▁The ▁Te legraph ▁that ▁they ▁were ▁hope ful ▁Font es ' s ▁appointment ▁in ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁would ▁help ▁convey ▁New ▁Del hi ' s ▁concerns . ▁Senior ▁officials ▁familiar ▁with ▁Font es ▁commented ▁upon ▁her ▁understanding ▁of ▁India ' s ▁security ▁concerns ▁vis - à - vis ▁China ▁and ▁Pakistan ; ▁that ▁she ▁would ▁be ▁a ▁friendly ▁face ▁among ▁a ▁Trump ▁Administration ▁cabinet ▁mostly ▁unknown ▁to ▁India . ▁With ▁F lyn n ' s ▁subsequent ▁ou ster , ▁Font es ' s ▁assignment ▁to ▁the ▁NS C ▁was ▁cancel led ▁and ▁the ▁position ▁was ▁filled ▁by ▁Lisa ▁Curt is ▁( a ▁former ▁C IA ▁anal yst ▁and ▁fellow ▁at ▁The ▁Heritage ▁Foundation ) ▁at ▁the ▁beh est ▁of ▁F lyn n ' s ▁replacement , ▁H . ▁R . ▁Mc Master . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁Font es ▁took ▁command ▁of ▁Com b ined ▁Security ▁Trans ition ▁Command ▁– ▁Afghan istan , ▁replacing ▁Richard ▁Kaiser . ▁Con current ly , ▁she ▁also ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁in ▁charge ▁of ▁security ▁assistance ▁for ▁the ▁Resol ute ▁Support ▁Mission . ▁Font es ▁is ▁the ▁highest - ran king ▁female ▁military ▁officer ▁in ▁Afghan istan ▁since ▁the ▁American ▁invasion ▁of ▁that ▁country ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 1 . ▁Ask ed ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0