Nepal panel says no to training diplomats in India

A parliamentary panel in Nepal has asked the country's foreign ministry to refrain from sending 28 newly recruited diplomats to India for training.

Updated on: Jan 5, 2011, 12:28:17 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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A parliamentary panel in Nepal has asked the country's foreign ministry to refrain from sending 28 newly recruited diplomats to India for training.

Expressing reservations, the international relations and human rights committee of Nepal parliament asked the ministry of foreign affairs (MoFA) on Tuesday not to go ahead with the training.

The MoFA, which is battling manpower issues, had sent a request to India's external affairs ministry to help train the team of newly recruited officers half of whom are women.

India agreed to conduct a training programme for the team at the New Delhi-based Foreign Service Institute-the same place where Indian Foreign Service officers are trained.

But opposition Maoists in Nepal expressed reservations on the MoFA move fearing that the new officers could get "influenced" with the training provided by the southern neighbour.

Most lawmakers of the parliamentary panel expressed similar views and stated that the training can be imparted in Nepal itself.

But Nepali Congress' Nabindra Raj Joshi said that MoFA should go ahead with the training programme.

"How will our nationality be at stake by sending the officials for a short-term training programme in India?" Joshi was quoted by Republica as questioning the other committee members.

As part of the 10-day training programme, the Nepali diplomats were to learn several issues including diplomatic protocol, workings of international organizations and nuances of international relations.

"We agreed to provide the training as a goodwill gesture since the request came from MoFA. The entire expense of the programme would be borne by India," said Indian Embassy spokesperson Apoorva Srivastava.

Set up in 1986, the Foreign Service Institute has provided training to more than 1600 diplomats from over 100 countries.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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