Indian Foreign Service

Indian Foreign Service
Service Overview
Formed	October 9, 1946
Headquarters	South Block, New Delhi
Country	India
Training Ground	Foreign Service Institute, New Delhi
Field of Operation
Controlling Authority	Ministry of External Affairs
Legal personality	Governmental: Government Services
General Nature	Diplomacy & Foreign policy Economic diplomacy Trade Relations Defence Diplomacy Cultural diplomacy Consular Services Public diplomacy Intergovernmental organization
Preceding Service	Indian Civil Service
Cadre Size	1750 members (2013) (Group A - 750; Group B - 250)
Service Chief
Foreign Secretary	Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (Incumbent)
Head of the Civil Services
Current Cabinet Secretary	Pradeep Kumar Sinha, IAS

The Indian Foreign Service (Hindi: भारतीय विदेश सेवा) is the administrative diplomatic civil service under Group A and Group B of the Central Civil Services of the executive branch of the Government of India. It is one of the two premier Civil Services (other being IAS), as appointment to IFS renders a person ineligible to reappear in Civil Services Examination. It is a Central Civil service as Foreign policy is the subject matter and prerogative of Union Government. The Ambassador, High Commissioner, Consul General, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and Foreign Secretary are some of the offices held by the members of this service.

The service is entrusted to conduct diplomacy and manage foreign relations of India. It is the body of career diplomats serving in more than 180 Indian Diplomatic Missions and International Organisations around the world. In addition, they serve at the headquarters of the Ministry of External affairs in Delhi and the Prime Minister's Office. They also head the Regional Passport Offices throughout the country and hold positions in the President's Secretariat and several ministries on deputation. Foreign Secretary of India is the administrative head of the Indian Foreign Service.