In a bid to simplify India’s foreign policy and help common people easily understand the achievements and functioning of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Government is preparing an outreach plan under which it will establish a direct connect with the people, particularly students of schools and colleges through its officers in a more interactive and interesting way.
Already Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj have started giving their speeches and media statements in Hindi during the visits of foreign dignitaries. Sources said the step to speak in Hindi by Modi and Sushma was taken keeping in mind the large Hindi-speaking population that does not easily understand English language.
The foreign affairs and foreign policy is largely considered as an area of interest for the elite and the urban population. However, the MEA wants to change this which is why apart from reaching out to the common man, the MEA is also going to seek feedback from people on their understanding about the foreign policy and functioning of Foreign Ministry. It will also seek feedback from people on what do they want in the foreign policy.
The MEA will be sending the officers of the Indian Foreign Services (IFS) to various schools to deliver lectures and interact with students of high and middle schools to educate them about the role of the MEA in a common man’s life.
The officers will also explain in brief what the MEA does, such as its role in making passports and giving visas apart, from some basic information about India’s foreign policy in general. They will also talk about the role of Indian diaspora in the growth of India. The MEA will also hold quiz contests to make this interaction more interesting among students.
“A lot of people feel that the MEA’s main work is to make passport and give visa. Some even do not know this fact. It is important for people to know that apart from making passports, the MEA also does other works and the important role Indian embassies play when people travel abroad. It is also important for people to know how our foreign policy takes shape,” said an official.
The other plans include hosting lectures by eminent persons and retired diplomats. So far these lectures were organised in top institutions like the IITs, IIMs and Central universities in metro cities. But the plan is now to hold such lectures in smaller cities and towns to engage more people.
The MEA is also working simultaneously to host a Youth Connect Summit along with a conference of Indian-origin Parliamentarians world over. Sources said more than 50 countries have Parliamentarians of Indian origin who play an important role in improving the relationship with India.