Where diplomats learn to talk bread

Diplomacy in a globalised world increasingly is about mastering the Heckscher-Ohlin theorem, trade policy, absolute and comparative advantage, and economics of scale. With its year-round programmes, the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) in the capital is the place where an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) probationer with a background in veterinary science is taught the finer aspects of economic diplomacy.

The institute’s international economics and economic diplomacy module is designed not just for the heterogeneous annual batch of probationers. Every year, there are three to four courses for Assistants and three courses for Section Officers, who are taught to handle trade enquiries and disputes, conduct surveys to gather data and arrange buyer-seller meets. And Director-rank officers have a mid-career distance training programme on WTO negotiations and the Indian economy.

But the lion's share of coursework is for probationers. They get the basics of our trade policy, finer points of economic ties with regional trading partners and big global players, and India's institutional set-up for export promotion.

The FSI has linkages with IIM-Bangalore, the ministry of commerce, RBI, Exim Bank, Sebi, and various chambers of commerce and some industries. The course is under constant review, says FSI Dean, Ajai Choudhry.

Further, over the years the institute has conducted 47 courses for foreign diplomats, teaching them regional economic issues and on international financial institutes such as the IMF and WB. With such programmes for foreign diplomats, India is not just educating them but also generating goodwill, notes the Dean.