01/08/2009
I have before me a complex and yet fascinating assignment. I strongly believe that our diplomacy and our diplomats play a vital role in promoting the national interest and safeguarding our national goals of development in an atmosphere of peace and security. Our diplomats today work with dedication and professionalism in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Our foreign service counts among the best in the world. Today, in a rapidly evolving world situation, the task is to further augment our diplomatic and professional capabilities as we are called upon to play an even more prominent role in world affairs. This will be an important area of focus in my new responsibilities.
The foreign policy interests of our nation encompass a number of areas, which are both regional and global, and which concern relations with our neighbours and the world beyond. Economic diplomacy and public diplomacy are also issues that demand increased attention. We are called upon as diplomats to deal with a number of these issues, at any one given time, in a manner that is focused, mature and balanced, that is persuasive and has vision and long term perspective. This is an absorbing task and I look forward to it with great hope and optimism.
Smt. Nirupama Rao, IFS
Foreign Secretary
Ministery of External Affairs
Government of India