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This was done after the Foreign Secretary issued directives as the Ministry is said to have found a few junior-level officials corresponding with the foreign governments directly without going through the ministry or Indian Missions abroad.
“I am directed to address you on the subject “instructions regarding corresponding with foreign governments” and to enclose herewith a copy of the demi-official letter along with a copy of its enclosures from the Foreign Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi, which is self-explanatory for information and appropriate action,” stated the communication issued by Home Secretary Krishna Mohan to all the administrative secretaries, head of the departments, boards and corporation in the UT Administration.
The letter holds significance, as Chandigarh officials frequently make foreign trips.
“Such correspondence with foreign states violates the established norms of interaction with foreign governments. Some of these communications have caused embarrassment and were not acted upon by the foreign governments who sent them to appropriate Indian authority.
“The standing instructions on channels of communications between the Government of India and the state governments on the one hand and foreign governments and their missions in India and international organisations on the other issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, clearly indicate that all communications with foreign governments, which involve negotiations or questions of policy as well as communications of a kind which though may or may not be initially raised or involve questions of policy but may lead to them, should be made only through the MEA,” said the letter from the Foreign Secretary.
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