Citizen-Centric Diplomacy of India « Khabarhub Wednesday, August 12th, 2026 लगइन Home News National
International Business Interview Opinion More Fact-Checking Sports Entertainment Covid-19 Utilities नेपाली
Dark Mode khabarhub Search Home News International Business Opinion Interview National Health Entertainment Sports
Politics Covid-19 Utilitis Date Converter Preeti to Unicode Unicode to Preeti Roman to Unicode Foreign currency
Gold/Silver Air Quality Index vegetables Video podcast Login Citizen-Centric Diplomacy of India Jeitendra Kumar Tripathi
Time taken to read : 6 Minute A A A Diplomacy had traditionally been understood as the conduct of bilateral relations
between states, focusing only on negotiations driven by political, economic, and security-related factors. However, the
advent of the current century, which has witnessed a sea change in ground realities due to globalization, rapid
scientific and technological development, and increased mobility, has transformed and expanded the scope of diplomacy by
focusing on new dimensions. India also could not remain untouched by this transformation and adopted a foreign policy
with citizen-centric diplomacy at its heart. This policy places the welfare, security, and interests of the country’s
citizens at its core, making Indian citizens an important part of its external engagements, which has, in turn, made the
Ministry of External Affairs more responsive to their needs. How did it evolve? Until the turn of the last century,
Indians living abroad (NRIs) and persons of Indian origin had no place in government policies, as they were considered
persons who had migrated out of India for their own individual interests, with no contribution to the development of
India. It is heartening that the importance of citizens in our diplomacy has finally been realized and that the
Government is addressing their issues with an objective and positive attitude. However, at the beginning of the current
century, it was realized that these Indians not only contribute to the economy of their homeland by way of remittances
and investments but also play a significant role in the governments of their countries of residence. The importance of
the Indian diaspora can be understood from the fact that, currently, the Indian diaspora, with a population of more than
35.4 million (more than the combined population of Australia and New Zealand), remitted US$135.46 billion in the last
financial year. Moreover, many persons of Indian origin have risen to important positions in academic institutions and
governments, which underlines their importance in our foreign policy calculus. However, in recent years, Indian
governments have started paying more attention to this vast reservoir of talent and resources. The annual Pravasi
Sammelan and Pravasi Awards have given momentum to outreach efforts toward eminent personalities of the Indian diaspora.
The Ministry of External Affairs has taken many initiatives to ensure the welfare of Indian citizens visiting abroad for
employment, business, or educational purposes. Key features of Citizen-Centric Diplomacy These initiatives cover the
period from passport application to visa processing, travel, safe stay, and return to India. In view of the growing
number of Indians wishing to travel abroad, the Government has opened new passport offices, established passport
application centers in all districts, digitized procedures, and opened more international airports to facilitate
international travel. PDOT (Prior to Departure Orientation and Training) programs are in place, and the Pravasi Bhartiya
Bima Yojna has been introduced to ensure health insurance coverage for Indians abroad. Migration and Mobility
Partnership pacts have been signed with eight countries, and Social Security Agreements have been signed with nineteen
countries to ensure a proper work environment for Indian workers. An e-Migrate application has also been launched to
educate citizens about relevant rules and regulations. MADAD, a multilingual help portal, works round the clock to
assist Indian citizens in need. It also examines employment visas, employers’ status, and the insurance cover provided
to prospective workers. The government has opened more embassies and consulates to cater to the needs of Indian citizens
abroad. An Indian Community Wing, separate from the Consular Wing, has been established to ensure the well-being of
Indians living in those jurisdictions. The Indian Community Welfare Fund has been established in all diplomatic missions
and posts abroad to assist citizens in emergencies through temporary shelters, legal assistance, and air tickets to
India for destitute or stranded Indians. Besides, open houses are organized regularly in Indian embassies to listen to
and address the grievances of the Indian community. Moreover, the government has conducted a number of successful rescue
operations for Indian citizens stranded in violence-hit areas. Ukraine, South Sudan, and Yemen have been among such
recent operations. Challenges Citizen-centric diplomacy also faces its own challenges. The growing number of Indians
traveling abroad for various purposes has put heavy pressure on our missions, which already suffer from shortages of
manpower and resources. Effectively assisting the Indian community in war-torn countries also becomes a challenge in
view of unstable situations. Misinformation spread by Indian touts and social media, along with different local legal
systems, compounds the problems. The way forward Allocation of sufficient staff and funds to our missions abroad, along
with adequate training before posting, can mitigate these challenges. Pre-departure orientation should be made
compulsory for every Indian going abroad for employment or education. Curbing touts who mislead such Indians is
imperative. Conclusion It is heartening that the importance of citizens in our diplomacy has finally been realized and
that the Government is addressing their issues with an objective and positive attitude. With the allocation of more
resources and strict action against touts, our citizen-centric diplomacy will certainly bear more fruit. (Ambassador
Jitendra Kumar Tripathi (Retd.) is a retired Indian diplomat who served as India’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Argentina,
Uruguay, and Paraguay) Publish Date : 11 August 2026 12:23 PM Comment JUST IN Sudurpaschim govt declares
Badimalika-Ramaroshan Forest Conservation Area DHANGADHI: The Sudurpaschim provincial government has announced the
implementation of Gold, silver prices fall KATHMANDU: The prices of gold and silver declined in the NC calls for
high-level judicial commission to probe recent Sunsari and Siraha incidents LALITPUR: The main opposition Nepali
Congress (NC) has urged the Protecting elephant corridors crucial to prevent human-elephant conflict in Nepal KATHMANDU:
Protecting and restoring traditional elephant corridors is becoming increasingly Two children found dead after drowning
in Lal Bakaiya River RAUTAHAT: Two of the three children who went missing while ADDRESS Reg No.: 1222/075-76(DOI, Nepal)
Chairman: Naresh Shrestha Address: Yak & Yeti Marg, Ktm Contact: +977 1-4249158 Email: [email protected] NEWS
NAVIGATIONS Home National Opinion Education Covid-19 News International Interview Sports Photos Politics Business Health
Entertainment Literature INFO About Us Our Team Media Kit Partnership Terms of Us Contribution Inquiries Mission
Subscribe RSS Feed Site map Unicode Contact Advertise Feedback Careers Copyright Ad policy Editorial Policy Code of
conduct Privacy policy Correction policy Fact-checking policy Ownership & Funding ©2026 Khabarhub | All rights
reserved. Site By : Appharu