Indian diplomats need to introspect & change art of diplomacy, says foreign secretary Nirupama Rao

SOUNDS odd, but India’s seasoned diplomats received a lesson or two on diplomacy in New Delhi on Monday. In the second conference of heads of missions held in New Delhi, 112 mission heads who are posted in various embassies or high commissions around the world, gathered to listen to external affairs minister and foreign secretary amongst others, and also to discuss what should be India’s strategic goals in coming days. While talking to India’s seasoned diplomats being posted across the world, external affairs minister S M Krishna said development, inclusive economic growth and alleviation of poverty need to be India’s foremost strategic goals. “The main purpose of our foreign policy is to assist in the fulfillment of these goals by providing an enabling external environment which ensures our security, promotes trade, nurtures our key bilateral relationships, safeguards our national interest and enhances our influence in the world,” the minister said. Earlier, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao welcomed the heads of mission. (Some of them are seen in the picture, enjoying a joke possibly cracked by India’s ambassador to US Meera Shankar, 2nd from right). Ms Rao said the Indian diplomat today needed to introspect on how his or her practice of the art of diplomacy and the tools used for it, must adapt, or change, in response to the challenges in the world and the decentralization of the international landscape. Wish to study RTI, get yourself enrolled on a government course The department of personnel and training (DoPT) has launched an online certificate course on RTI for various stakeholders targeting mainly public information officers (PIOs), assistant public information officers (APIOs), appellate authorities, representative of civil society organisations and media. The proposed online course can be taken in batches of 15 days, and the registration for the first pilot batch would commence on August 24, 2009 and close at 5 pm on September 3, 2009. The course starts on September 7, and the examination can be taken from 9 am on September 19, 2009 to 9 pm on September 21, 2009. If you have any doubt, send a mail on occhelpdesk@cgg.gov.in

Also read, "Babus Under Check: Government finally gives clarification on disclosure of file noting by bureaucrats under RTI" posted on June 25.