Big Dreams, Thin Cast

While India is expanding its foreign service to reflect its evolving role in the world order, it continues to be dwarfed by the diplomatic missions of China and other countries in both size and skill

- Avantika Mehta

ON May 7 at 1:44 am, when India conducted air strikes against terror bases inside Pakistan, it took Pakistan only a few hours to inform the global press and obscure the narrative. The international media largely did not acknowledge India’s reason for the air strikes—the Pahalgam terror attack in India on April 22. No briefings were held by Indian High Commissions or diplomats for the first 12 hours after the strike.

Understaffed, or Underutilised Staff?

“India could have done much more with the international media through our missions abroad. That coverage and concentration was selective, and if the missions are better staffed, we can, of course, speak and interact with the international media much better,” says Anil Wadhwa, former Secretary (East) at the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), who has served as the Indian Ambassador to Italy, Poland, Oman and Thailand. He adds that “the Indian narrative was put out in a coordinated manner by the Indian foreign service along with the armed forces.”

In December 2024, India announced it would expand its 850-strong foreign service by 200 employees over the next five years. These plans came with the MEA’s acknowledgement that the country’s diplomatic corps were “short-staffed.” In comparison, as of 2024, China had over 5,000 diplomats and support personnel.

While the addition of 200 employees reflects India’s global ambitions of becoming one of the largest economic powers in the world, several experts who study international affairs point out that diplomatic corps are not just about quantity but also quality—the calibre of staff members and their ability to navigate an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape also matter.