The Prime Minister has a problem with the way his ministers are lining up to grab foreign junkets and dinners. So, in a recent letter he has spelt out the dos and don’ts of protocol and asked each of them to route the wishes through the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The objective: ‘‘India’s political representatives should conduct themselves in a manner befitting the country’s standing in international affairs and consistent with our foreign policy orientation and objectives.’’ Though not specified in his letter, what prompted the PM’s outburst was a farewell dinner hosted a month ago by an outgoing ambassador. The dinner was attended by not less than five ministers of Cabinet rank — and the MEA was in the dark. Also recently, a Minister of State sought permission to go to the Netherlands to receive an honorary doctorate from a Dutch university which existed only on paper. The request was turned down. Now the ministers will have to refrain from attending lunches and dinners hosted by foreign heads of missions or accepting invitations to visit their countries. They cannot also extend invitations to their counterparts during their visit abroad, unless cleared by the MEA. ‘‘The dignity of ministerial office demands that protocol norms are scrupulously followed. it is important that we do not convey wrong impressions to foreign diplomatic missions through uncoordinated actions at the political level,’’ writes the Prime Minister. The guidelines are: • Ministers should not receive foreign heads of missions except for courtesy calls arranged through the MEA. • Invitations to reception and functions hosted by foreign missions should not be accepted except on the advice of the MEA. • Ministers should not correspond with foreign missions as it is the function of officials. Any interaction should be with the head of the mission and routed through the MEA. • No cognizance should be taken of oral invitations by visiting foreign dignitaries as it is a customary part of diplomatic nicety. Only written invitations should be considered in consultation with the MEA. • Ministers must not host farewell lunches or dinners for outgoing ambassadors or high commissioners unless specifically requested by the MEA. • Ministers should also avoid inviting foreign diplomats to any political and official functions. • Ministers should not attend the national day receptions of foreign diplomatic missions unless his/her presence is justified by the level of cooperation between his/her ministry and the concerned country. • Without the clearance of the MEA, the minister should not accept membership of foreign trusts, institutions, universities or organisations.
