Top diplomats to be evaluated on pushing ‘Make in India’

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ask New Delhi's envoys in over 160 countries to focus on economic diplomacy to help government attract investment and push forward his 'Make in India' during the annual heads of mission conference that started in Delhi today.

According to a report in The Economic Times, Modi will use the opportunity to brief New Delhi's envoys about his government's foreign policy priorities and focus on restoring confidence of foreign investors and augment foreign capital inflows to increase manufacturing sector growth.

This is the first heads of mission conference that the ministry of external affairs is holding after new foreign secretary S Jaishankar took charge last week.

Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said that the envoys will also interact with the chief ministers of states for the first time ever during the annual conference.

Apart from the Prime Minister himself, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, finance minister Arun Jaitley, home minister Rajnath Singh and minister of state Nirmala Sitharaman will address the high commissioners and ambassadors, who represent New Delhi around the world.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the foreign secretary will also address the envoys during the conclave. The five-day meet will focus on themes ranging from Act East, Make in India, Indian diaspora, West Asia connectivity, and soft power.

The Prime Minister would try to drive home the point that the performance of the diplomats posted abroad would be assessed on the basis of their success in contributing to the economic agenda of his government.