Foreign Secretary (India)

As an officer of the rank of secretary to the government of India, the foreign secretary ranks 23rd on the Indian Order of Precedence. However, unlike other secretaries to the government of India, the foreign secretary is also the top diplomat of the country and heads the Foreign Service Board.

Before the post of Foreign Secretary was created, Secretary General of Ministry of External Affairs was the head of Ministry of External Affairs, which was held by Girija Bajpai and N. R. Pillai.

Powers, responsibilities and postings

The foreign secretary is the administrative head of the Ministry of External Affairs, and is the principal adviser to the minister of external affairs on all matters of policy and administration within the ministry.

The role of the foreign secretary is as follows:

• To act as the administrative head of the Ministry of External Affairs. The responsibility in this regard is complete and undivided.
• To act as the chief adviser to the minister of external affairs on all aspects of policy and administrative affairs.
• To represent the Ministry of External Affairs before the Public Accounts Committee of the Parliament of India.
• Recommends postings of officers under the Ministry of External Affairs of the rank of secretary, additional secretary and joint secretary to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
• To act as the first among equals among the secretaries in the Ministry of External Affairs.