IFS officers feel the heat as global IAS may dictate economic diplomacy

VERY often, officials from IRS cadre have problems with IAS lobby. Now, Indian Foreign Service officers are feeling the heat. As influential, and also ambitious, mid-career IAS officers have begun to fill up key economic posts in major missions such as US, UK, Japan etc., there is a fear among career diplomats that this new breed of global IAS may call the shots at a time when economic policies dictate diplomacy.
What has soured the relations further was...
the delaying of promotion of the 1993 batch IFS officers as joint secretaries, for which Prime Minister’s Office had to intervene, according to media reports. One report says IAS lobby is not happy with external affairs ministry’s “adventure” into creating a new post of secretary (public relations) in South Block who may articulate MEA’s viewpoints in matters as wide-ranging as trade and commerce, environment, health, climate change etc. Though no difference of opinion has flared up as yet, these are the areas where diplomats too have strong views and try to influence policies, something IAS officers at the helms are not comfortable with. 
According to reports, there are now about 40 global IAS who are posted in various Indian missions abroad. They are the commercial counsellors helping Indian embassies or high commissions to engage with the foreign countries in economic and trade matters.
For the career diplomats, the bigger challenge now is how to address their lack of orientation towards global economic and trade issues which have in the last few years replaced the security matters as the core part of diplomacy. What’s more, there are only 800 IFS officers, too less a number if compared to China’s 4,000 and US’ 12,000 foreign service officers.
Till now, IRS officers have problems with IAS. As taxmen, they are specialists in their own subject and are largely independent in their day-to-day functioning including sensitive areas like raids. But in the end of the day, all IRS officials including those in customs and central excise come under Union revenue secretary, an IAS officer.

Action and Appointments
a) The inter cadre deputation of Ms Sonali N Vayangankar from MP to Maharashtra cadre, has been approved. She is a 2000 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre.
b) The ACC has approved extension in deputation tenure of Sanjay Kundu, a 1989 batch Himachal Pradesh cadre IPS officer, as Inspector General (IG) in Border Security Force for a period of four months till December 25, 2012.
c) Dinesh Kumar, a 1983 batch Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS, presently in the cadre, has been appointed as Executive Director (Transport), in Food Corporation of India (FCI), Headquarters, New Delhi. He will hold the rank of a joint secretary. The post was held by Amar Singh, a 1981 batch MP cadre IAS, who was recently appointed as FCI’s chairman.