Are We Punching Above Our Weight?

International diplomacy is about Games Nations Play. This title of the celebrated book on world politics suggests that the success and failure of a country in the international arena will be determined by how good or bad it plays the game of politics at the global level. Like any other game, diplomacy is also about the calibre, skill and strength of the players which will decide the outcome of the game. In this context, we are talking here about the Ministry of External Affairs which is mandated to project India in the comity of nations and promote national interests by a sound mix of depth touches, dexterous policy measures and a bold declaration of official intent. 

- Amit Kumar

An oft-repeated criticism of the MEA working is as India grows in international stature, its diplomatic Service is increasingly getting outclassed and outnumbered and has become outdated. It suffers from a lack of consultations among those framing India’s foreign policy and a lack of coordination among those implementing it.

In recent years, the intake of the Indian Foreign Service has averaged between eight and 15 persons annually. The present cadre strength of the service stands at approximately 1,200 officers manning around 162 Indian missions and posts abroad and the various posts in the Ministry at home. The total strength of MEA personnel at the Headquarters in New Delhi and in its Missions abroad is 4,054.

Contrast this number with those of the American, Russian and Chinese Foreign Offices which have 13,000, 12,000 and 7,500 officers, respectively, in their diplomatic Service. This comparison is warranted as these countries dominate the world stage and India is both cooperating and competing with these giants.

Of particular interest to India is the case of China. Its diplomatic engagement with the world is intensive; its diplomatic network is much larger than that of India and its embassies are considerably larger. China manages well its Asia policy and engagements with other world regions. Its deep pockets and generous aid grants have supported a strong economic project drive.

Similarly, how seriously Russia takes its foreign policy business is evident from the structure of its Foreign Ministry. Russia has 10 Deputy Foreign Ministers looking after different aspects of its foreign policy.