II. INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING CONTACT OF MEMBERS OF THE ALL INDIA SERVICES WITH FOREIGN NATIONAL/MISSIONS
1. Utmost discretion should be exercised in contacts with foreign nationals: – Officers should exercise the utmost discretion in their contact with foreign correspondents, members of foreign missions/organisations and other foreign nationals in India. They should also avoid any conversation likely to reveal, even inadvertently, information on matters of secret nature. They should scrupulously avoid overpatronisation and indiscriminate and frequent acceptance of hospitality, particularly of an informal nature, from foreign nationals or Indian nationals employed by foreign missions. Such excessive hospitality could place the recipient under obligation to the host and may thus impair the impartial and judicious exercise of his functions in the eyes of others.
2. Private Correspondence with foreign missions etc. should be avoided: – Private correspondence with foreign Embassies/ Missions/High Commissions should be avoided. Similarly, no private or personal correspondence on matters of an official nature should be entered into directly with members of foreign missions in India.
3. Rules should be kept in mind in exchange of gifts with foreign nationals/Missions: – In the matter of exchange of gifts with foreign national/ members of a foreign mission or acceptance of foreign articles from them the relevant provisions of the A.I.S. (Conduct) Rules, 1968, should be borne in mind and prior permission taken wherever necessary under the rules. It is to be noted that it would be illegal to bring foreign exchange into this country save as provided for in the foreign Exchange Regulations.
4. Prior permission is required for attendance at National Day Receptions by foreign Missions:- Officers shall attend National Day Receptions by foreign Missions only after obtaining the prior permission of the Government.
5. Invitations/Hospitality may be accepted only when these are from an officer of equivalent higher diplomatic status; prior permission for Under Secretaries/Deputy Secretaries:-
(i) Officers should normally accept invitations for formal or informal entertainment offered by foreign diplomats only when the invitations is from an officer of a corresponding or higher diplomatic status.
(ii) Officers of the Ranks of Under Secretary and Deputy Secretary and comparable ranks should not accept any invitations except with the prior and specific approval of the Secretary concerned.
6. Official and social calls should not be initiated and kept limited to appropriate official level: – Officers shall not initiate action for paying official/social calls on Heads of Missions/Consulates of other countries or members of the staff.
2. Officers should particularly ensure that the contacts with representatives of other countries limited to their appropriate officials level.
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