Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has formulated any diplomatic plan/vision for the next ten years;
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to have a considered and clear foreign policy with India’s short/long term national interests clearly defined?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
[GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]
(a) to (c) The Government continually assesses and refines its diplomatic stance and policies in response to evolving global challenges and opportunities which have a bearing on India’s short-term and long-term interests. While no single overarching and formalized policy document can capture all aspects of India’s foreign policy, the underlying principles of our diplomatic strategy are long-established and enduring. These include safeguarding India’s sovereignty and security, enabling India’s domestic economic transformation, and building influence in global forums through bilateral, multilateral and regional efforts. This pragmatic and outcome-oriented foreign policy orientation has revitalised our traditional ties, re-energised our strategic and commercial relations with new partners and re-connected us with our Diaspora abroad.
In recent months, the Ministry of External Affairs has significantly strengthened its Policy Planning & Research Division by increasing its manpower and budget, including the inclusion of experts from other specialized departments of Government of India and engagement with scholars from the wider strategic community. This effort is aimed at improving the Government’s efforts to anticipate and react to long-term international trends and developments through rigorous analysis, and feeds into the continuous process of self-evaluation of the Ministry and appraisal of foreign policy.