'It's about confidence', says Jaishankar on Rahul's 'arrogant' remark

New Delhi, May 21

Reacting to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's barbs that the Indian Foreign Service has completely changed and has become arrogant, External Minister Dr S. Jaishankar on Saturday said that yes, the Indian Foreign Service has changed and they follow the orders of the Government.

Jaishankar said that the change in the Indian Foreign Service is a reflection of confidence.

In a tweet External Affairs Minister said, "Yes, the Indian Foreign Service has changed. Yes, they follow the orders of the Government. Yes, they counter the arguments of others".

The Minister said that it is not called arrogance, it is called defending national interest. "It is called confidence. And it is called defending national interest (sic)," the Minister said. No, it's not called arrogance," Jaishankar said.

At the 'Ideas for India' conference in London, Gandhi had slammed the BJP led government on multiple fronts. He also criticised the Indian Foreign Service.

"I was talking to some bureaucrats from Europe and they were saying that the Indian foreign service has completely changed, they do not listen to anything. They are arrogant... There is no conversation," Gandhi said.