Lok Sabha Question No. 2086 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-29
Subject: Staff strength at Indian embassies
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Anurag Sharma

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2086

TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.07.2022

## STAFF STRENGTH AT INDIAN EMBASSIES

2086. SHRI ANURAG SHARMA:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has noticed the necessity of more staff in Indian   Embassies/consulates   in   foreign   countries   and   if   so,   the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken any steps to provide adequate staff   strength   and   attache   of   different   Ministries   at   Indian embassies/consulates in foreign countries;
- (c) if so the details thereof and the present staff and attache's strength in various Indian embassies/consulates and diplomatic missions; and
- (d) whether   the   Government   has   signed   new   MoUs   or   bilateral agreements with USA, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Japan, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

- (a) Ministry   of   External   Affairs   regularly   reviews   the   requirement   of manpower at various levels at Missions and Posts abroad.  The Ministry accords   highest   priority   to   optimize   the   deployment   of   its   Human resources to fulfill its growing responsibilities through recruitment and cadre management of the Indian Foreign Service and other Cadres of the Ministry and deputation of officers from other Ministries and Departments.
- (b) & (c) Officers   from   different   Ministries   are   regularly   posted   in various   Missions   and   Posts   abroad.   Currently   there   are   5436   officials including staff working in various Indian Missions and Posts abroad.
- (d) Details of new MoUs or bilateral agreements signed with USA, UK, Australia,   Germany,   France   and   Japan   during   past   one   year   are   at Annexure-I:

## Annexure-I

## Details of new MoUs or bilateral agreements signed with USA, UK, Australia, Germany, France and Japan during past one year

| Name of Country   | Details of MoU/ Bilateral Agreement signed during past 1 year                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| USA               | 1. Tracked Services Agreement between the Department of Posts, India and PRIME USPS, USA for exchange of tracked packet products between India and USA 2. MoU on Space Situational Awareness between Department of Space, India and Department of Defence, USA 3. MoU on Investment Incentive Agreement between the Government of USA and the Government of India 4. MoU between Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India and Department of Health and Human Service, USA for cooperation in field of Health and Biomedical Sciences 5. MoU between Indian Council of Medical Research, India and National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA for cooperation on International Center for Excellence in Research |

| UK        | 1. MoU between Institute of Cost Accountants of India and Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK 2. MoU between Ministry of External Affairs, India and Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, UK on Implementation of India-UK Global Innovation Partnership 3. MoU between the Department of Atomic Energy, India and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, UK for Cooperation with India's Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership 4. MoU between Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Birmingham City University on the Establishment of ICCR Chair of Indian Studies 5. MoU on Mutual Recognition of Academic Qualifications between India and UK 6. MoU between the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata and Natural History Museum, London 7. MoU for Recognition of Indian Certificate of Competence for Service on UK Flagged Vessels between the UK and India 8. Framework Agreement between India and UK for Collaboration on Health Care Workforce   |
|-----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Australia | 1. India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement 2. MoU on Co-Investment in Australian Critical Minerals Projects between Khanij Bidesh India Ltd., India and Critical Minerals Facilitation Office, Australia 3. MoU for cooperation and collaboration on broadcasting between Prasar Bharati, India and Special Broadcasting Service, Australia 4. Renewal of India-Australia MoU on Tourism Cooperation 5. MoU on Technical Cooperation for Australia-India Water Security Initiative                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
| Germany   | 1. MoU for collaboration in Nuclear, Accelerator Science & Technologies and other Scientific Domains of Mutual interest between Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Facility for Antiproton Ion Research, France and GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung, Germany 2. MoU for cooperation in the field of Novel Magnetic and Topological Quantum Materials between Leibniz Institute for Solid State and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |

|        | Materials Research, Dresden Germany and SN Bose National Centre for Basic Science, India 3. MoU for academic cooperation in education, research and scholarship between IIT, BHU and Universitat Siegen 4. MoU between Indian Council of Medical Research and the German Research Foundation (DFG) for cooperation in the field of Medical Science and Health Research                                                                                                                                                                 |
|--------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| France | 1. MoU between NPCI International and Lyra Network of France for Acceptance of UPI & Rupay Card in France 2. Arrangement between Atomic Energy Regulatory Board India and Nuclear Safety Authority of France for the exchange of technical information and cooperation in regulation of nuclear safety and radiation protection 3. MoU between Airbus Defence, France and Space and New Space India Limited for strengthening cooperation in field of space                                                                            |
| Japan  | 1. MoC between Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology and University of Tokyo in DNA technologies 2. MoC between Competition Commission of India and Japan Fair Trade Commission 3. MoC on India-Japan Industrial Competitiveness Partnership 4. MoC between India and Japan in the field of Cybersecurity 5. MoC between India and Japan in the field of Decentralized Domestic Wastewater Management 6. MoC between India and Japan in the field of Sustainable Urban Development |

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