Harried consultants hired by the MEA say they are as overworked as the diplomats holding the fort. Foreign diplomats find themselves surprised by inadequate briefs and incomplete reports. At one point, an officer from the stenographer’s cadre was appointed ambassador to North Korea, leapfrogging IFS-B cadre candidates (who typically can be appointed envoys after 15-20 years of service). This undoubtedly caused tensions in the ranks. According to whispers within Delhi’s diplomatic circles, the only way to get work done is to organise high-level delegation visits, forcing an understaffed MEA to snap into action. There have been times at the United...