- In July 2023, the Kerala government appointed a senior IAS officer as the officer in charge of “external cooperation.”
- According to the Constitution of India, under the 7th Schedule, Union List, Item 10, foreign affairs and all matters involving relations with foreign countries are exclusively managed by the Union Government.
- The MEA spokesperson highlighted the following key points:
- Foreign policy formulation is the sole responsibility of the Central government.
- Matters of foreign affairs are not Concurrent or State subjects
- The Kerala government’s decision aimed to address issues pertinent to diaspora, foreign investment, and other related matters.
- However, the MEA stressed that foreign policy remains exclusively within the Central government’s purview.
Dig Deeper: Which state in India has the largest diaspora population worldwide and receives the highest remittances?
