Post merger with MOIA: MEA to handle all NRI affairs, except investment

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“This arrangement in which emigrants have to deal with two separate ministries or agencies for their work poses avoidable difficulties,” he argued before the CoS. The POE is responsible for issuing registration certificates to recruitment agents, who send workers abroad, especially to the Gulf region.

Moreover, the MEA wanted officials dealing with foreign workers-related issues to have better diplomatic back-up and coordination to deal with emergencies involving Indians in various crisis-prone countries in West Asia.

At the time of creation of the MOIA, subjects had been taken out from work handled by Economic Affairs, Home, Culture and Human Resources Development.

The subjects that have been denied to the MEA are promotion of investment by NRIs, including innovative investment and policy initiatives particularly in special economic zones and matters relating to FDI. These have been given to Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion.

Earlier, these were dealt with by the Ministry of Commerce.

However, to keep the MEA in the loop, the CoS decided that the MEA will be represented on the Foreign Investment Implementation Authority, while the Department of Commerce will get membership on the Foreign Investment Promotion Board.

Last month, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said the merger was essential as “substantial work” of MOIA was being done by Indian missions abroad. Since MOIA’s creation, there have been separate ministers for both ministries.