The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is a central government institution responsible for conducting and managing India's foreign relations and diplomatic affairs. Its origins trace back to the Foreign Department established by the East India Company in 1783 to handle diplomatic relations. After India gained independence, the department was transformed into the Ministry of External Affairs and Commonwealth Relations in 1947, and was renamed the Ministry of External Affairs in 1948. This transformation solved the problem of establishing an independent diplomatic apparatus to formulate foreign policy, which initially focused on decolonisation and non-alignment.
The MEA works by formulating and implementing India's foreign policy, conducting diplomatic relations with foreign countries, and negotiating international agreements. The Foreign Secretary is the senior-most non-elected official and the administrative head of the ministry. The MEA is the cadre-controlling authority for the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), whose officers staff over 200 diplomatic missions globally. Key functions include protecting the interests of Indian citizens abroad and providing consular services.
The MEA connects to international organizations like the United Nations and regional groups such as BRICS and SAARC. It also administers specific legislation, including the Extradition Act, 1962. Recent foreign policy concepts it champions include the Neighborhood First Policy and the Act East Policy. A significant recent change occurred on January 7, 2016, when the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs was integrated into the MEA to streamline operations and minimize duplication.