A message to IFS trainees: Reach out and serve

The people of India have high expectations from you and you must live up to them

I warmly welcome you to Rashtrapati Bhavan. It is always a pleasure for me to interact with our youth, and more so, when they happen to be the ones ready to enhance our external relations and contribute to nation-building.

I congratulate you on joining the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and the two Officer Trainees from the Royal Bhutan Foreign Service. It is, indeed, a privilege to represent one’s country. This privilege entails a deep commitment from you to serve the people of India. I hope you will attend to this higher call of duty with pride, humility and dedication. I