My Review on 'Applied Diplomacy: Through the Prism of Mythology' by Ambassador T P Sreenivasan

How you fell when someone had a wide experience on Diplomacy and world power corridors, who had enjoyed the company of former from Prime ministers of India to top world leaders like US President Barak Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and German Chancellor Angela Markel as granted and who bring the laurels in International stage by his accomplishment’s sits next to you with a smile and speaks to you as a philosopher or a friend about his days in pastoral lands to horseshoe table debates in UN Security Council? This is what I experienced when turning the pages of 'Applied Diplomacy: Through the Prism of Mythology' by Ambassador T P Sreenivasan

Ambassador T P Sreenivasan, the roles played by him being in IFS is not less than  Arjuna in battle field of kurukshetra, here the battle is with the words mixed with might and reciprocal favors in diplomatic circles at world forums to secure the nation interests and to reflect the dictums of his masters in South Block.

In this book, he poured the utmost wisdom, knowledge and experience he gain over a period of four decades. Diya S Iyer edited the writings and speeches delivered by Sreenivasan in to seven chapters each one are an epitome of it.

Hunuman: As the mascot of IFS, the first ever diplomat that India sent abroad elaborates upon the current state of Indian Foreign policy. He presented the life of an aspiring young diplomat and challenges there in. He had given insights about it charms of diplomacy, importance of culture, traits of 21^st century diplomat, Spouse as Cultural ambassadors and the training that matters.

Vibheeshana: Though he is a brother of Demon king Ravana, who stands for righteousness in the midst of threats and fears, portrays India in its pusillanimous yet positive take on its neighborhood. He remark bully explained the three evolutionary phases of the Indian Foreign policy. He explained the strict reciprocity policy towards Pakistan followed by Chain Insurability as its asset and India’s regional engagements.

Ashwatthama: The power house of Kauravas, who was cursed to live a prolonged life as he erred under the ire of humiliation, warns us about the wrongdoings that unquestioned power can instigate, as in a super power like USA. Dedicated to the romance of India and US as seasonal lovers always had unknown reason for smile and cry reached its zenith with raising China and consequence of nuclear trade. The Nuclear trade occupies more space than it deserved.

Parasurama: who possess the most destructive weapons ever that annihilate life on earth warns about hazards of nuclear weapons urges us ‘Atoms for peace and Global Zero’. He criticized the mad men race for nuclear arsenal though the 9/11 demonstrated that the power to destroy the world many times over provides no guarantee of security. The author who had earlier worked in IAEA as Governor presents a mixed thought about Indian energy security through Nuclear energy attributing the Fukushima disaster.

Kripacharya: The United Nations, who struggled to maintain its relevance in today’s world. As an Insider he presented how the UN works and power politics from General Assembly to UN Security council those are still unknown to the outsiders. Sreenivasan elucidate the bi-standards of P-5 countries in Security Council to reforms and India as a permeant member. He abashed the unpredictability as a hallmark of the Norwegian Nobel committee when it comes to the awarding of the Nobel Peace prize between OPCW and Malala. He pointed the apathy of India in Securing the leading positions in UN agencies which certainly an eye opener to Foreign Ministry and PMO.

He added the spices of Kerala to in his writings in Mahabali. This explains the typical Malayali and his second innings as Commentator, evangelist on Foreign policy, followed by his grand plans for Higher Education 2.0 for Kerala.

Vyasa: The master story teller by himself made an attempt to show his veneration towards his master JS Mehta, passion about writing, and his life as an inspiration to millions of boys and girls who looks for hope to enter in corridors of power to drive a change.

TP Sreenivasan with all love he had on his service IFS made a strong attempt to inspire the youth of this nation to opt for it. His writings are delightful and thought provoking, laced with humor proved him a commendable writer.

Diya S Iyer had made his mentor proud by brining on a whole range of subjects, in a most imaginatively structured compilation with the uncanny link that she established between Indian mythology and Diplomacy.

 Wisdom tree India stands by its name by publishing this book. I am sure this would be one of the finest in there book self. I greatly recommend this book as bible for the next generation diplomats, students on international relations and readers who want to know the unsung heroism of diplomats.

Finally I am thankful to the Naman kapur from Wisdom tree for choosing me to write review on this book. He made this day one will stands special forever.

APPLIED DIPLOMACY — Through the Prism of Mythology: Writings of T.P. Sreenivasan: Edited by Divya S. Iyer; Wisdom Tree, 4779/23, Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi-110002. Rs. 895.

Reviewed by: Gopinath Jyothi

Indian Foreign Service

A Backgrounder

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”.

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.

Training

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.

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.

Functions

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.

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.

Visit the Foreign Service Institute Website at meafsi.gov.in