Indian Foreign Service

Introduction

The Indian Foreign Service, also known as IFS is the foreign service of India, made up of a body

of career diplomats. The Indian Foreign Service is considered as one of the Indian central

services, but the officials enjoy equivalent status to the All India Services in terms of training.

On September 13, 1783, the board of directors of the East India Company passed a resolution at

Fort William, Calcutta (now Kolkata), to create a department that aimed to help "relieve the

pressure" on the Warren Hastings administration in conducting its secret and political business.

The Indian Foreign Department was established under the British Raj who conducted business

with foreign European powers. From the very beginning of this department, a proper distinction

was maintained between the foreign and political functions of the Foreign Department and also

the relations with all "Asiatic powers", including the native princely states were treated as

political units, while relations with European powers were treated as entirely foreign.

In 1843, the Governor-General of India, Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellen borough executed

administrative reforms, thus organizing the Secretariat of the Government into four departments,

namely the Foreign, Home, Finance, and Military. A secretary-level officer headed each of them.

The Foreign Department Secretary was bestowed with the conduct of all communication

belonging to the external and internal diplomatic dealings of the Indian government. The

Government of India Act 1935 tried to define more clearly the functions of the foreign and

political wings of the Foreign Department and it was soon realized that it was managerially

essential to entirely separate the department. Consequently, the External Affairs Department was

set up immediately under the direct supervision of the Governor-General.

The idea of establishing a separate diplomatic service to control the external activities of the

government of India evolved from a note dated September 30, 1944, recorded by Lieutenant-

General T. J. Hutton, the Secretary of the Planning and Development Department. This note was

later referred to the Department of External Affairs for comments, Olaf Caroe, the Foreign

Secretary recorded his comments in an exhaustive note detailing the capacity, composition and

functions of the proposed service. Caroe said that as India came forward as an autonomous

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nation, it was very important to build up a system of representation in abroad that would be in

complete harmony with the objectives of the future Indian government.

In September 1946, on the eve of Indian independence, the Indian government established the

Indian Foreign Service for India`s political, consular and commercial representation in the

foreign lands. After Indian independence, the transition of the Foreign and Political Department

into the new Ministry of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations was almost complete are

ready to be executed thoroughly.

In 1948 the first examination of Indian Foreign Service was conducted and the group of Indian

Foreign Service officers were recruited under the combined Civil Services Examination

administered by the Union Public Service Commission combined the service. This exam is still

conducted to select new IFS officers to this day. The Civil Services Examination is used

particularly for recruitment procedure for many Indian administrative bodies. The Indian Foreign

Service examination has three stages - a preliminary exam, a main exam, and an interview. The

Indian Foreign Service examination is known for being extremely challenging. Entry into the IFS

in modern times has become very difficult, due to the elaborate study course and intricate

question pattern. However, most applicants appear for the examination of Indian Foreign Service

and also other All India Services like IAS and IPS for acquiring the high prestige, salary, and

benefits that come with such positions.

The entire selection process for an Indian Foreign Service official lasts for 15 to 20 months.

Repeated attempts are allowed to the candidates up to four times. About 300 to 400 candidates

are finally selected each year for Indian Foreign Service out of the nearly 400,000, candidates

but only a rank in the top 50 guarantees an IAS or IFS selection and the acceptance rate is of

0.01 percent.

For the past years, the recruitment into the Indian Foreign Service has seen an average of 8-15

persons every year. The present cadre strength of the service is at around 600 officers counting

around 162 Indian missions and posts overseas and the various posts in the Ministry of External

Affairs at home. The Times of India reported a deficiency of Indian diplomats. After been

selected as the Indian Foreign Service official , the new entrants undergo in-depth training. The

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Indian Foreign Service officials undergo a probationary period and until they complete their

basic training they are known as the probationers. Training begins at the Lal Bahadur Shastri

National Academy of Administration in Mussourie, where members of many influential Indian

civil service organizations are trained.

After completing the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, the probationers

of Indian Foreign Service join the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi for attaining more

training as well as attachments with different government bodies and tours both in India and in

foreign countries. The entire training programme is for a period of 36 months. At the conclusion

of the training programme the Indian Foreign Service officer is assigned a compulsory foreign

language (CFL). After a brief period of desk attachment in the Ministry of External Affairs, the

Indian Foreign Service officer is posted to an Indian diplomatic mission abroad where the CFL is

the native language. There the officer undergoes language training unless and until, he developes

proficiency in his CFL and pass an examination before being permitted to continue in the

service.

History

The origin of the Indian Foreign Service can be traced back to the British rule when the Foreign

Department was created to conduct business with the "Foreign European Powers”. In fact it was

on September 13, 1783, when the Board of Directors of the East India Company passed a

resolution at Fort William, Calcutta (now Kolkata), to create a department, which could help

"relieve the pressure” on the Warren Hastings administration in conducting its "secret and

political business”. Subsequently known as the "Indian Foreign Department”, it went ahead with

the expansion of diplomatic representation, wherever necessary, to protect British interests.

In 1843, Governor-General Ellenborough carried out administrative reforms under which the

Secretariat of the Government was organized under four departments – Foreign, Home, Finance

and Military. Each was headed by a Secretary level officer. The foreign department Secretary

was entrusted with the "conduct of all correspondence belonging to the external and internal

diplomatic relations of the government”.

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From the very beginning, a distinction was maintained between the "foreign” and "political”

functions of the Foreign Department; relations with all "Asiatic powers” (including native

princely states of India during the British Raj) were treated as "political” and with all European

powers as "foreign”.

Although the Government of India Act, 1935 sought to delineate more clearly functions of the

"Foreign” and "Political” wings of the Foreign Department, it was soon realized that it was

administratively imperative to completely bifurcate the Foreign department. Consequently, the

External Affairs Department was set up separately under the direct charge of the Governor-

General.

The idea of establishing a separate diplomatic service to handle the external activities of the

Government of India originated from a note dated September 30, 1944, recorded by Lt-Gen T. J.

Hutton, Secretary, Planning and Development Department of the Government. When this note

was referred to the Department of External Affairs for comments, Mr Olaf Caroe, the Foreign

Secretary, recorded his comments in an exhaustive note detailing the scope, composition and

functions of the proposed service. Mr Caroe pointed out that as India emerged to a position of

autonomy and national consciousness, it was imperative to build up a system of representation

abroad that would be in complete harmony with the objectives of the future government.

In September 1946, on the eve of India’s independence, the Government of India decided to

create a service called the Indian Foreign Service for India’s diplomatic, consular and

commercial representation overseas.

In 1947, there was a near seamless transformation of the Foreign and Political department of the

British India government into what then became the new Ministry of External Affairs and

Commonwealth Relations and in 1948 the first batch recruited under the combined Civil service

examination system of the Union Public Service Commission joined the service. This system of

entry has remained the staple mode of intake into the IFS to this day.

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Diplomacy as a Profession

Diplomacy is a complex and often challenging practice of fostering relationships around the

world in order to resolve issues and advance interests. Discover the PEOPLE who conduct

diplomacy, the PLACES where the diplomat engages in diplomacy, and the ISSUES diplomacy

helps resolve.

Indian diplomats work all over the world - in India at headquarters and in foreign countries - to

advance our foreign policy. The roles of diplomats are varied, but all of them work to protect and

serve Indian citizens and Indian interests abroad.

Professional diplomat as a man or woman in a pin-striped suit, sitting with other diplomats in an

elegant meeting room—negotiating peace, threatening war, or hammering out the terms of a

treaty. This is part of what diplomats do, since diplomacy is about managing international

relations. Many diplomats do all the things listed above, but they also do much more. Conducting

foreign policy is a complex business. The peace, safety, and prosperity the citizens enjoy are a

direct result of the hard work of many skilled professional diplomats and others. Government

diplomats are paid professionals. However every person has opportunities to practice diplomacy

in everyday life?

When businesspeople, teachers, scientists, athletes, and musicians share ideas and experiences

during visits abroad they represent their country and thus act as citizen diplomats. All of these

encounters produce subtle moments of diplomacy—a small exchange of impressions and

information about people of other lands. Most of us will never be an ambassador. But if a person

travel abroad, or meet a foreign citizen in India, a person represent a personr country, and this

makes a person a “citizen diplomat.”

How to become a diplomat

Diplomats come from many different backgrounds, yet they all work to advance our interests

abroad. To become a diplomat one has to take the Civil Service Exam. If a person make it into

the Foreign Service, the next stop is the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). Officer trainees are then

sent abroad to learn the Compulsory foreign language of their choosing.

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To be successful, one needs to listen well, analyze, problem-solve, and learn how to apply these

skills in foreign cultures. Depending on the responsibilities, one might need specialized

knowledge. If the job is promoting international trade, for example, one will need to learn about

a country’s economy, business practices, and banking system. One also needs to learn the

etiquette and customs of your host country and be polite, tactful, and patient. The Foreign

Service is a career like no other. It is much more than a job; it is a uniquely demanding and

rewarding way of life.

The Ministry of External Affairs looks for a diverse group of people, with varied backgrounds

and experiences, to achieve the foreign policy goals of our country. Foreign Service Officers

with different personalities and a wide variety of skills are needed to handle the many kinds of

jobs diplomats do. Most diplomats work far from home, where the culture, food, and language

are different. Their number one job is to take care of Indian citizens overseas. But another part of

their responsibility is to build good working relationships—even if the leaders or citizens of the

host country disagree with our policies. Diplomacy is required to move through these delicate

situations!

1. Do a person like to write, speak publicly, work with journalists or engage through social

media, or plan informational or cultural programs? 

2. Do a person like to manage an operation and solve practical problems dealing with budget,

personnel, transportation, or buildings? 

3. Is a person curious about how other countries are governed, how we advance our foreign

policy, and the processes of negotiations? 

4. Is a person interested in business, money, and trade relations? 

5. Is a person interested in the law, helping Indian citizens in trouble, and meeting foreign

citizens who would like to come to India? 

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6. Do a person want to help people in other countries obtain clean water, develop sustainable

agriculture, or better education or help our people learn from them? 

7. Would a person enjoy helping to increase Indian business or agricultural exports? 

Diplomacy is conducted around the world. Trained diplomats work mostly in the Embassies,

which are located in the capital cities of foreign countries. They also work in consulates, which

are located in big cities, and in countries hosting Missions to international organizations.

Career

A Foreign Service Officer begins his career abroad as a Third Secretary and is promoted to

Second Secretary as soon as he is confirmed in service. Subsequent promotions are to the levels

of First Secretary, Counsellor, Minister and Ambassador/High Commissioner/Permanent

Representative. Officers can also be posted to Indian Consulates abroad where the hierarchy

(going upwards) is Vice-Consul, Consul and Consul General.

The hierarchy at the Ministry of External Affairs includes 6 stages: Under Secretary, Deputy

Secretary, Director, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary and Secretary.

Civil Service Exam:

Exam Date : Prelim in 1st week of May & Mains in 2nd week of Oct

Eligibility Criteria :

1.Age limit

21 years must be completed on 1st August of the year, which a candidate is appearing. Maximum

30 for general category, 33 for OBCs and 35 for SCs/STs . Ex-servicemen will get 5 more years

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exemption from the prescribed age limit The date of birth accepted by the Commission is that

entered in the Matriculation or Secondary School Leaving Certificate or in a certificate

recognized by an Indian University as equivalent to Matriculation or in an extract from a

Register of Matriculates maintained by a University, which extract must be certified by the

proper authority of the University or in the Higher Secondary or an equivalent examination

certificate. 

2.Number of Attempts

Four attempts for open, seven for OBCs and no limit for SCs/STs. If a person appears in the

Preliminary Examination or even one paper is counted as an attempt. 

3.Restrictions on applying for the examination: 

A candidate who is appointed to the Indian Administrative Service or the Indian Foreign Service

on the results of an earlier examination and continues to be a member of that service will not be

eligible to compete at this examination. 

Exam Pattern :

All India Combined Competitive Examination for the Civil Services conducted by the Union

Public Service Commission (UPSC) comprises of two successive stages: 

-    Preliminary Examination: It is of objective type, which is a qualifying examination. 

-    Main Examination: It consists of written examination and interview. 

The Preliminary Examination is held in May/June and the Main Examination in

October/November. One must begin preparations of the main exam along with preliminary

exam. This is because there is little time for the Main exam if one waits for the results of the

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Preliminaries. 

The examination is a three stage process which consists of Civil Services Aptitude Test CSAT ,

Main Examination and the Interview

1. Civil Services Aptitude Test CSAT - IAS,IPS,IFS,IRS Exam - New Pattern

This is the first stage of Civil Services Examination. It is an Objective type examination

consisting of Two Papers that is common to all candidates from 2011 having special emphasis on

testing their “aptitude for civil services” as well as on “ethical and moral dimension of decision

making”. The details are yet to be published and all candidates for CSAT are advised to

concentrate more on General Studies of Preliminary examination with specail focus on Current

Affairs/ Events,Science and Technology,Economy and sports of National and International

importance that has a bearing on public life in India; 

2. Civil Services Main Examination -IAS,IPS,IFS,IRS Descriptive Exam

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) selects, successful cadidates to Main

Examination i.e. about 20 times of the total number of vacancies mentioned in the Notification. It

is a descriptive examination. 

3. Civil Services – Interview- The Final Stage

This is the last stage of Indian Civil Service Examination. Interview has 200 marks and it will be

counted for final list of candidates. Usually double the number of vacancies will be selected for

the interview subjected to the reservation for various categories. It is advised that all candidates

should prepare about the details given in the main application form.

Qualification required to join the IFS

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A person should be an Indian and a graduate to sit for the Civil Services Exam. There also exists

age limits for appearing in the exam depending on the category a person belong to. For general

category one should be between 21-30 years as on 1st August of the year of Examination. Also

there are limits on the number of attempts a person can take. 

Become an Ambassador

To be an Ambassador of a country, a person basically need to get into the Civil Services of the

country. Ambassadors are generally chosen from the IFS. The first posting, however, is as a

Third Secretary. The next as a Second Secretary, then a First Secretary, and after that Counsellor

and then, possibly, Ambassador. Also, between foreign postings, alternate postings are in India,

in the MInistry of External Affairs. The most senior officer of the IFS is the Foreign Secretary. 

Benefits of IFS.

The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is the foreign service of India. It is the body of career

diplomats of India. It is part of the Central Services of the Government of India, under The

Foreign Secretary, of India,who is the administrative head of the Indian Foreign Service. This is

a highly rewarding career. Its Officers are the cream of the Officers.  Prestige, Power, Perks,

Authority - they have all the best. A Foreign Service Officer begins his career abroad, as a Third

Secretary and is promoted to Second Secretary as soon as he is confirmed in service.  Subsequent

promotions are to the levels of First Secretary, Counselor, Minister and Ambassador / High

Commissioner / Permanent Representative.  Officers can also be posted to Indian Consulates

abroad where the hierarchy (going upwards) is Vice-Consul, Consul and Consul General.

The hierarchy at the Ministry of External Affairs includes 6 stages: Under Secretary, Deputy

Secretary, Director, Joint Secretary, Additional Secretary and Secretary.

Training

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On selection to the Indian Foreign Service through the combined Civil Services examination, the

new entrants undergo a multi-faceted and comprehensive training programme intended to give

them a thorough grounding in diplomatic knowledge, diplomatic qualities and diplomatic skills.

The probationers commence their training, together with their colleagues from the other All India

Services, at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussourie. Thereafter

the probationers join the Foreign Service Institute in New Delhi and undergo focused training in

the various disciplines that a career diplomat needs to familiarise himself with. The Foreign

Service Institute course involves lectures, attachments with various wings of the Government as

well as familiarisation tours both within the country and abroad. The aim of this course is to

inculcate in the diplomatic recruit a strong sense of history, knowledge of diplomacy and

international relations and a grasp of general economic and political principles.

At the conclusion of the training programme the officer is assigned his/her compulsory foreign

language (CFL). After a brief period of desk attachment in the Ministry of External Affairs the

officer is posted to an Indian Mission abroad in a country where his CFL is the native language

and enrolled in a language course. The officer is expected to develop proficiency in his CFL and

pass the requisite examination before he is confirmed in service.

Strength

In recent years, the intake into the Indian Foreign Service has averaged between 8-15 persons

annually. The present cadre strength of the service stands at approximately 600 officers manning

around 162 Indian missions and posts abroad and the various posts in the Ministry at home.

Role & Functions about the Indian Foreign Service:

The Indian Foreign Service is part of the Central Services of the Government of India. The

Foreign Secretary, of India, is the administrative head of the Indian Foreign Service.In 1948 the

first group of Indian Foreign Service officers recruited under the combined Civil Services

Examination administered by the Union Public Service Commission joined the service. This

exam is still used to select new IFS officers to this day.

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The Civil Services Examination is used for recruitment for many Indian administrative bodies. It

has three stages - a preliminary exam, a main exam, and an interview - and is known for being

extremely challenging. Entry into the IFS is considered very difficult; most applicants rank it and

the Indian Administrative Service as their top choices because of the high prestige, salary, and

benefits that come with such positions.

The entire selection process lasts 15 to 20 months. Repeated attempts are allowed up to four

times. About 600 to 800 candidates are finally selected each year out of the nearly 400,000 + but

only a top rank guarantees an IAS or IFS selection—an acceptance rate of around 0.01 percent.

In recent years, the intake into the Indian Foreign Service has averaged between 30-35 persons

annually. The present cadre strength of the service stands at approximately 700 officers manning

around 162 Indian missions and posts abroad and the various posts in the Ministry of External

Affairs at home. On acceptance to the Foreign Service, new entrants undergo in-depth training. 

Role Of IFS.

WHEN DIPLOMATS negotiate a treaty, attend a state dinner, or arrange a visa for a traveler,

they all have the same mission—to represent the interests and policies of our country. Beyond

that, diplomats’ roles and responsibilities are immensely varied. An ambassador is the

President’s highest-ranking representative to a specific nation or international organization

abroad. An effective ambassador has to be a strong leader—a good manager, a resilient

negotiator, and a respected representative. A key role of an ambassador is to coordinate the

activities not only of the Foreign Service Officers and staff serving under him, but also

representatives of other Indian agencies in the country. 

Foreign Service Officers are professional, trained diplomats who represent Indian interests

abroad under the direction of the ambassador. All Foreign Service Officers listen to and observe

what is going on in the host country, analyze it, and report to the ambassador and New Delhi.

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The Main Functions Of IFS

As a career diplomat, the Foreign Service Officer is required to project India’s interests, both at

home and abroad on a wide variety of issues. These include bilateral political and economic

cooperation, trade and investment promotion, cultural interaction, press and media liaison as well

as a whole host of multilateral issues.

The functions of an Indian diplomat may be summarized as:

Representing India in its Embassies, High Commissions, Consulates, and Permanent

Missions to multilateral organisations like UN;

Protecting India’s national interests in the country of his/her posting;

Promoting friendly relations with the receiving state as also its people, including NRI /

PIOs;

Reporting accurately on developments in the country of posting which are likely to

influence the formulation of India’s policies;

Negotiating agreements on various issues with the authorities of the receiving state; and

Extending consular facilities to foreigners and Indian nationals abroad.

At home, Ministry of External Affairs is responsible for all aspects of external relations.

Territorial divisions deal with bilateral political and economic work while functional divisions

look after policy planning, multilateral organizations, regional groupings, legal matters,

disarmament, protocol, consular, Indian Diaspora, press and publicity, administration and other

aspects.

The IFS was created in October 1946 as a specialised service for the conduct of India’s relations

with foreign countries in all aspects – political, economic, commercial, consular, external

publicity and cultural affairs. The main functions of the IFS and its role in the conduct of foreign

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relations is enumerated below: 

(i) Political – IFS officers are required to constantly monitor and assess the emerging situation in

the host country and countries of concurrent accreditation, duly taking into account the political,

economic and the socio-cultural factors, and brief the Government of India with a view to

promoting and protecting our national interests. This involves maintaining a continuous supply

of information to the Ministry of External Affairs by means of accurate and insightful reports on

current events and discemible trends. Officers maintain regular contact with the host

Government at appropriate levels to project and seek support for Government of India’s views on

various international issues of vital importance to our interests. The views of the host

Government are solicited and suitable feed back conveyed to headquarters to facilitate effective

policy formulation.

(ii) Economic & Commercial – Economic and commercial work have an extremely important

role to play in a Foreign Service officers’ line of duty. It is intricately linked to political work

and one cannot be seen in isolation of the other. The main functions in the Economic and

Commercial field include promotion of India’s economic and commercial interests including

promotion of Indian exports to various countries, encouraging flow of investments into India,

facilitating industrial and technical collaboration between Indian and foreign industrial, business

and commercial organisations. Economic and commercial work requires constant monitoring of

opportunities, making relevant information available, organising various trade promotion events,

facilitating participation in trade fairs, assisting in resolution of trade disputes and dissemination

of information on business and investment opportunities available in India. The concerned trade

promotion and other divisions in Ministry of Commerce are closely associated with the

functioning of the commercial wings of India’s Missions and Posts abroad.

(iii) Consular – Consular work involves protection of the rights of Indian nationals, assistance in

settling their disputes, arranging repatriation of destitute Indians and maintaining contacts with

and providing consular access to, Indian nationals who have been imprisoned in foreign

countries for violation of local laws, as well as provision of passport facilities. In addition,

consular work also involves expeditious issue of visas to foreign nationals desirous of visiting

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India. Consular work involves close coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs and

Regional Passport Offices located in various parts of the country.

(iv) Publicity – Publicity work involves projection of India’s views and concerns on national and

international issues and influencing public opinion in the countries of accreditation with

developments in India in all spheres, particularly those which have a bearing on India’s foreign

policy and security. In addition to countering negative trends and media publicity, officers

endeavour to enlarge the areas of positive perception about the country while attempting to build

up greater awareness and understanding for its policies and values. Audio-visual, print material,

material, and the Internet are used to reinforce the country’s positive image and to keep the

media informed about issues that impinge on India’s national interests. Promotion of Indian

culture as well as its understanding thereof abroad and strengthening of India’s cultural relations

with host countries is an integral part of Publicity work and is an extremely important element of

India’s foreign policy. Officers in close cooperation and consultation with the Indian Council for

Cultural Relations (ICCR) impart instructions on various aspects of Indian cultural heritage

including dance, music and Indian languages to foreign nationals and people of Indian origin

alike. Officers are also entrusted with the work of organising cultural programmes, seminars and

workshops for people of Indian origin abroad as well as foreign nationals. Cultural cooperation

with several countries is also arranged through Cultural Treaties which enables mutually agreed

and structured forms of cultural exchange programmes, finalized well in advance. 

(v) Representation – A Foreign Service Officer is expected at all times and in all his contacts

with the government as well as its people, in the country where he serves, to conduct himself as a

representative of his country, his people and his government. He projects the imager of India

through his words and deeds. 

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