Modi to hardsell 'Make in India' plan to Indian envoys

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will ask New Delhi's envoys in over 160 countries to focus on economic diplomacy to help government attract investment and transform the 'Make-in-India' campaign a success to boost growth during the annual heads of missions conference that started in Delhi on Friday.

Modi will utilise the opportunity to brief New Delhi's envoys about his government's foreign policy priority and immediate focus on restoring confidence of foreign investors and augment foreign capital inflow to increase growth in manufacturing sector.

This is the first heads of mission conference the Ministry of External Affairs is holding after the change of guard and after the new foreign secretary took charge last week.

MEA spokesperson Syed Akaruddin said that envoys will also interact with the chief ministers of various states for the first time ever as part of this annual conference.

Apart from Prime Minister himself, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of State (Independent Charge) Nirmala Sitharaman will address the high commissioners and ambassadors, who represent New Delhi around the world.

Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor, and new Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will also address the envoys during the conclave. The five-day meet will also focus on themes ranging from Act East, Make in India, Indian diaspora, West Asia connectivity, and soft power.

Prime Minister would try to drive home the point that the performance of the diplomats posted abroad would be assessed on the basis of their success in contributing to the economic agenda of his Government, sources said.