**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Ministry of External Affairs' response to Unstarred Question No. 1184 in Lok Sabha, answered on February 6, 2026, regarding the strengthening of India's diplomacy in global responsibilities. The response details the steps taken to enhance the Ministry's financial, human resource, and institutional capacity, including capacity-building measures and the implementation of a structured action plan. The Ministry's Capacity Building Plan was operationalized in 2024.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Capacity Building:**
* The Ministry of External Affairs, through the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), undertakes structured and continuous capacity-building measures.
* These measures aim to enhance officers' knowledge of procedures, financial regulations, and emerging technology domains like AI and cyber security.
* Training programs at Induction and Mid-Career levels are designed to develop domain, functional, and behavioral competencies.
* These are aligned with the Karmayogi framework and Viksit Bharat@2047 objectives.
* The Ministry's Capacity Building Plan, operationalized in 2024, prioritizes the capacity building of officers/officials.
* The Ministry leverages specialized courses in multiple domains available in the IGOT Karmayogi portal.
* **Specialized Domain Expertise:**
* Officers on deputation from various Ministries are working in MEA in specific domains based on their experience.
* Professionals and experts are hired as Consultants with expertise in counter terrorism, project management, bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, international law, consular and disarmament related work, and emerging domains.
* **Technology Use:**
* The Ministry prioritizes the effective use of technology to enhance efficiency and inter-institutional coordination.
* **Organizational Restructuring:**
* The Ministry periodically undertakes organizational restructuring exercises to maintain institutional responsiveness to evolving foreign policy imperatives.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Officers and Officials**
* **Impact:** MEA officers and officials are directly impacted through enhanced training opportunities, knowledge development, and skill enhancement. They will be better equipped to handle emerging global responsibilities and emerging technological domains.
* **Action Required:** Officers and officials are expected to actively participate in capacity-building programs, leverage specialized courses on the IGOT Karmayogi portal, and apply new knowledge in their respective roles.
**Stakeholder: Government of India**
* **Impact:** The Government benefits from a strengthened diplomatic corps and enhanced international relations, contributing to the goals of Viksit Bharat@2047.
* **Action Required:** Continue to support the Ministry's efforts in capacity building, organizational restructuring, and the utilization of technology in diplomacy.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of External Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for foreign relations.
Viksit Bharat@2047: A government initiative with specific goals mentioned in the context of strengthening the Ministry's capabilities.
Capacity Building Plan: A plan by the Ministry of External Affairs focused on capacity building of officers/officials.
Karmayogi framework: A framework aligned with Viksit Bharat@2047, used in training programmes to develop competencies.
Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS): Training division of the Ministry of External Affairs.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1184
ANSWERED ON- 06/02/2026
STRENGTHENING OF INDIA’S DIPLOMACY IN GLOBAL RESPONSIBILITIES
†1184. SHRI GANESH SINGH
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the steps taken so far to strengthen the financial, human resource
and institutional capacity of the Ministry in view of the increasing global
responsibilities, the goals of Viksit Bharat@2047 and emerging domains
such as technology, cyber security, artificial intelligence and digital
diplomacy; and
(b) whether any structured action plan is being implemented by the
Ministry to induct specialised domain experts in areas such as
technology, cyber security, climate, supply chains and geo-economics
into the diplomatic apparatus, to enhance training and to improve the
functional effectiveness of missions, if so, the details thereof?
1ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH]
(a & b) The Ministry of External Affairs through its Training Division,
Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service (SSIFS), undertakes
structured and continuous capacity-building measures to enhance
officers’ knowledge of procedures and financial regulations, as well as
emerging technology domains such as artificial intelligence and cyber
security. Training programmes at Induction and Mid-Career levels are
designed to develop domain, functional and behavioural competencies,
in alignment with the Karmayogi framework and the objectives of Viksit
Bharat@2047.
Currently, officers on deputation from various Ministries are working in
MEA in specific domains for which they have gathered experience in
their parent Ministry. Further, professionals and experts are also
currently hired in the Ministry as Consultants who have expertise on a
wide range of subjects such as counter terrorism, project management,
bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, international law, consular and
disarmament related work as well as in emerging domains. The Ministry
accords high priority to the effective use of technology as a means to
2enhance efficiency and inter-institutional coordination. To maintain
institutional responsiveness to evolving foreign policy imperatives, the
Ministry periodically undertakes organizational restructuring exercises.
Additionally, through the Ministry’s Capacity Building Plan,
operationalized in 2024, capacity building of officers/officials is further
prioritized by leveraging specialized courses in multiple domains
available in the iGOT Karmayogi portal.
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