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		Shashi TharoorA shortage of funds for international projects was denting the credibility of India&rsquo;s foreign policy, said Congress MP and former UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor while urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intercede in the matter.&nbsp;</div>
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		Expressing concern over delays in completion of projects announced by Indian prime ministers abroad as the finance ministry was not able to back them with adequate funds, Tharoor, a former minister of state for external affairs, said budget cuts over the past few years had affected many such projects in Asia and Africa. He, however, refrained from naming specific projects to protect the national interest.&nbsp;</div>
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		According to Tharoor, who heads the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs, Indian prime ministers announce various projects on foreign soil but when the foreign ministry is not able to pursue them as the finance ministry cuts its budget, the foreign policy establishment suffers embarrassments.&nbsp;</div>
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		&ldquo;The biggest challenge to Indian foreign policy is not from Pakistan but from the finance ministry,&rdquo; Thaoor told Business Standard. &ldquo;The PMO should intercede in the matter and play referee. At present, it is not doing enough,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;</div>
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		Citing an example, Tharoor said while analysing budgetary allocations for the external affairs ministry during 2015-16, the panel found the ministry had sought Rs 22,967 crore but the actual allocation was Rs 14,966 crore.&nbsp;</div>
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		He further noted that though the panel had urged the external affairs ministry to pursue substantially enhanced allocation at the revised estimate stage, the committee was disappointed as the situation did not improve despite the intervention by both the external affairs minister and the foreign secretary.&nbsp;</div>
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		Tharoor said it was disturbing that over the years there had been a discernible gap in budgetary demands made by the external affairs ministry and the actual allocations provided despite optimum utilisation of funds. Fund utilisation was 100 per cent in 2013-14 and 96 per cent in 2014-15, he pointed out.&nbsp;</div>
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		Further, the depreciating rupee and general inflation resulted in under-provisioning of 187 Indian missions abroad, Tharoor said, adding the government should come up with a coherent policy regarding such establishments in 123 countries.&nbsp;</div>
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		The second-term Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala suggested the external affairs ministry explore integration of other sources of funds as developmental partnership with other participating ministries to pursue foreign policy goals. &nbsp;The external affairs ministry&rsquo;s view that it will not be taking any new projects this year and only focus on completing the ongoing ones has found favour with the parliamentary panel as a practical solution to the problem of budget cuts. &nbsp;Defending its position before the panel, the external affairs ministry had said progress had been slow in some projects due to adverse climatic conditions, geological changes and technological issues, causing time and cost overruns.&nbsp;</div>
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		According to Tharoor, who was minister of state for external affairs during the United Progressive Alliance government, the problem of budget cuts for the ministry spanned the Congress and the BJP-led regimes at the Centre. &ldquo;This is not a Congress versus BJP issue but a FM vs FM situation. The finance ministry fails to support the foreign ministry. But you can&rsquo;t tell this to a foreign government,&rdquo; he said. &nbsp;</div>
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Biggest challenge to Indian foreign policy isn't from Pakistan but from finance ministry, he says

Budget cuts affecting foreign policy objectives: Tharoor

Biggest challenge to Indian foreign policy isn't from Pakistan but from finance ministry, he says