Indian Foreign Service
The Indian Foreign Service (IFS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It is the diplomatic service and a central civil service of the Government of India under the Ministry of External Affairs. The Foreign Secretary is the head of the service. Vinay Mohan Kwatra is the 34th and the current Foreign Secretary.
| Service overview | |
| Formed | 9 October 1946 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | South Block, New Delhi |
| Country | India |
| Training Ground | Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service, New Delhi |
| Field of Operation | |
| Controlling Authority | Ministry of External Affairs |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Civil Service |
| Preceding Service | Indian Civil Service |
| Cadre Size | IFS (A): 996 (March 2021)
Total strength (including IFS (B)): 4297 (March 2021) |
| Service Chief | |
| Foreign Secretary | Vinay Mohan Kwatra, IFS |
| Minister of the Service | |
| Minister of External Affairs | Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, MP |
The service, consisting of civil servants is entrusted with handling the foreign relations of India and providing consular services, and to mark India's presence in international organizations. It is the body of career diplomats serving in more than 160 Indian diplomatic missions and international organizations around the world. In addition, they serve at the President's Secretariat, the Prime Minister's Office and at the headquarters of MEA in New Delhi. They also head Regional Passport Offices throughout the country and hold positions in several ministries on deputation.
Post-retirement, Indian Foreign Service officers have held high offices including that of President, Vice President, Governors of States, Speaker of Lok Sabha, and Cabinet ministers.