New Delhi: Indian Foreign Service WhatsApp groups are abuzz with talks of posting Indian Information Service officers in key embassies in an unprecedented move pitched as part of a broader push to build “Brand India” and sharpen the country’s global messaging. Still under wraps, the plan signals a potential shift in how India conducts diplomacy, with communication and perception management taking centre stage.
The intent, according to government sources, is to strengthen India’s communication capacity abroad without creating a parallel structure to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). IIS officers – trained in public communication, media strategy and countering misinformation – would focus on managing India’s global image, while IFS officers continue to handle core diplomatic functions.
“The idea is to strengthen India’s global communication – this is about building ‘Brand India’, managing perception, countering misinformation and engaging more actively with international media and audiences,” a 2009 cadre IIS officer told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity.
The plan is to deploy around ten IIS officers to key global capitals and business hubs, including Washington DC, London, Brussels, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Dubai, Canberra, Brasilia and Johannesburg. Sources say the number could eventually be scaled up to 40.
The move marks a significant rethink of roles traditionally held by IFS and IIS officers. While some see it as a necessary response to a fast-moving, digital information landscape, others within the service view it as a structural recalibration – one that could reshape institutional turf, diplomatic functions, and influence how civil services are valued and chosen in the years ahead.
“This move shows recalibration of how India wants to present itself in front of the world in a time when diplomacy is changing. It is now shaped not just by the negotiations but by the narratives, media cycles and perception battles,” said a senior IFS officer.
The proposed plan
WhatsApp groups of present and retired civil servants are flooded with rumours about the possible change. But the newer cadres, however, are less than enthusiastic. They wonder about the plan’s effectiveness and whether it will decrease or increase their workload.
“Managing media, countering misinformation and projecting ‘Brand India’ require specialised skills, and that is where information service officers can play a more effective role,” a senior Information Service officer working in Delhi told ThePrint.
Senior government officials also admitted that posting IIS officers in other countries would improve the coordination between the MEA and create a wider inter-government communication ecosystem.
During Operation Sindoor, several social media handles of Indian embassies were barely active, at a time when every piece of information and communication was very crucial. Some Indian embassies were also barely active in combating disinformation.
The IIS officer also said that communication plays a key role during major events such as Operation Sindoor or Covid-19, for which they are trained.
“Information Service officers are trained in handling communication and countering misinformation. During events like Covid-19 or Operation Sindoor, dealing with misinformation was one of the biggest challenges — now that challenge exists globally as well,” the officer added.
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Building brand India
So far, the communication and media management has been handled by the IFS in the Indian embassies. It is usually a first secretary or counsellor who manages press briefings, interacts with foreign media and communicates the government’s position, under the ambassador’s supervision. This comes under the broader diplomatic role, including political reporting, negotiations and bilateral engagement. The new plan proposes that these officers will be focus more on core foreign policy work. But the concern of the IFS remains whether this mission will be effective. Officers will need to be educated on the politics, background and even the language of their assigned location.
“Doing a one-time posting of officers who are not exposed to this kind of environment, I don’t think will really be effective… If the expectation is that they will immediately influence communication in the country where they are posted, I am not sure it will work very well,” a 1979 batch IFS officer told ThePrint on the conditoin of anonymity.
But not everyone in the diplomatic community sees the move as a dilution of the IFS’s role, with some arguing that the shift could instead strengthen India’s overall presence abroad.
“We don’t have enough officers in many embassies… I would see it as a very good positive step that one area of work will now be dealt with by information service officers. It’s just that they will require training to understand the background of the country they are posted in,” said Neelam Deo, retired IFS officer.
The information service officer said that IIS officers will use their expertise in the different embassies and build global communication strategy that other countries are already doing. The influencer ecosystem and social media play a critical role. International media does not always reflect India’s perspective, and that gap needs to be addressed more strategically.”
The officer added that: “We already have a strong influencer and communication ecosystem at the national level. The idea now is to extend that capability to the international stage.”
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Service preference
Once among the most preferred services in the 1960s and 70s, the Indian Foreign Service has seen a decline in its appeal over the past few decades. Earlier, many candidates with high ranks chose IFS over IAS and IPS, but today, only about four to five candidates within the top 50 All India Rank opt for the service. According to service allocation data, only five candidates chose IFS in 2005, four in 2008, and again in 2018. While it saw a brief increase in 2022, the number dropped to just one in 2023.
“There is no doubt that over the last few decades, preference for the Foreign Service has declined, and decisions like this will also have an impact on that trend. In our time, around 20 out of the top 30 candidates chose IFS,” told a 1979-batch IFS officer.
But those who have been working in this ecosystem for the last three decades say that such preference changes aren’t new.
“For a very long time, more than 90 per cent candidates have consistently chosen IAS as their first preference, with other services — including IFS and IPS — coming next. The appeal of the Foreign Service has started growing now,” said Vikas Divyakirti, founder and coaching head of Drishti IAS.
Divyakirti added: “Typically, candidates from more sophisticated or urban backgrounds, or those with some family exposure to such careers, used to prefer the Foreign Service, but now it has spread to other backgrounds too, thanks to the growing importance of geo-politics and the growing visibility of India’s foreign policy leadership.”
Other experts accept that there is a marginal decline but it is because of attempts. Although former IFS officers now say that the exposure of going abroad is available in other services as well, which is why candidates have stopped choosing the IFS.
“Our data shows that nearly 95 per cent of candidates still choose IAS as their first preference, compared to around 4 per cent for IFS and just over 1 per cent for IPS. This reflects a clear trend — IFS has seen a marginal decline, and many serious aspirants avoid it as their first choice because it limits reattempts. IPS is often preferred as a second option for its field authority and flexibility. Policy moves like sending IIS officers abroad may have some impact, but only at the margins — core factors like career trajectory, power and role clarity continue to drive choices,” said B Singh, CEO and founder of NEXT IAS, who takes thousands of UPSC mock interviews every year.
But the current proposal will help the Indian Information Service to gain greater visibility and potentially improve its standing among civil services.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)