The Trainee Officers of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) – 2025 Batch called on Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at South Block, New Delhi, where he underscored the Government of India’s resolve to expand the capacity of the indigenous defence industry for domestic production as well as exports under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision.
Addressing the 55-member batch — comprising 53 Indian trainees and two officers from Bhutan — the Raksha Mantri highlighted the pivotal role Indian diplomats play in advancing India’s defence and strategic interests globally. He noted that India has traversed a long journey from being one of the largest importers of defence equipment to emerging as a manufacturer and exporter of defence platforms across land, maritime and aerospace domains.
Shri Rajnath Singh stated that the global community is closely watching India’s growth trajectory and increasingly looking to the country for leadership. He encouraged the young officers to uphold honesty and integrity in their service and to remember that, while posted abroad, they represent the aspirations of 1.4 billion Indians.
Urging them to remain open to new ideas, cultures and perspectives, he advised the officers to carry forward India’s civilisational values in their diplomatic engagements. He also congratulated them for successfully joining the prestigious Indian Foreign Service.
Prior to the interaction, the trainee officers were briefed by senior officials of the Ministry of Defence on key aspects of defence diplomacy, the defence budget, tri-service integration, and defence acquisition processes, reflecting the growing convergence between diplomacy and national security.