Foreign policy is not an abstract exercise or elitist pursuit but an extension of domestic policies aimed at securing the country’s political, economic and security interests, and territorial integrity, President Droupadi Murmu said on Monday.
She was addressing a group of offcer trainees of the Indian Foreign Service (2023 Batch) which called on her at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
She said it is the responsibility of IFS officers to not only secure the nation’s interests but also to shape the global agenda, with the overarching strategic objective of achieving ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
The President said IFS officers should remember that they don’t just represent the Government of India. They represent 1.4 billion Indians, and their hopes and aspirations. They represent India’s diverse and pluralistic culture, the richness of its 5000-year-old civilization, and they represent a society, that in its essence, is a force for good and for stability in an un-predictable world. This places great responsibility upon each one of the offcers.
The President said that a good diplomat requires a unique set of skills — they must be an effective communicator and a strategic thinker. At the same time, they must have deep political and cultural understanding of both their host country, as well as of India.
Noting that officers will be going for the first postings abroad, for foreign language training, the President advised them to learn as many languages as they can, and be open to embracing new cultures, people, and technology. She said that these skills and sensibilities will make them an effective and well-rounded diplomat.