Indian envoys and mission officers to be judged on 3Ts

Keeping up with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's target of achieving USD 400 billion in merchandise exports, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) has directed all its missions abroad to evaluate all the officers only on basis of 3Ts. The three Ts are trade, technology, and tourism.

While it is expected that India will be achieve the USD 400 billion target by March 31, 2022, foreign secretary Harsh Shringla has sent a letter to all ambassadors and heads of missions stating that the entire mission should be functioning like a team rather than leave the job of enhancing the 3Ts to the officers concerned.

India has already crossed USD 334 billion in mercantile exports, highest ever on annualised basis. It is also higher compared to past achievement in any 12 month period.

On August 6, 2021, PM Modi has addressed the heads of missions virtually with the focus on enhancing Indian exports, procuring high end technology for India, and promoting India as a global tourism destination.

It is in this context that foreign secretary Shringla reminded all the mission heads last week that annual assessment for all officers in the embassy will be largely done on their performance on 3Ts including the ambassador himself. Each officer apparently will have to self-assess herself or himself on their performance regarding 3Ts and then set up targets for next years.

While the mission focus is on 3Ts, the MEA has also decided to bring in changes to the criteria for assignment abroad with preference given to language speakers and expertise of the respective country that they are serving or going to serve in.

It is understood that preference in ambassadorial postings will be given to those officers who speak the language of the country in which they are posted and have experience. In future, the chances of an officer getting postings all over the world will be less as priority areas have been identified and past experience will be the key to future postings.

A classical example is posting of Pradeep Rawat to China as a ambassador of India as the officer speaks the language to understand the nuance and has served the region all his career.