INDIAN DIASPORA

INDIAN DIASPORA

Diaspora refers to the people living away from their homeland due to various reasons.

Importance

1. Political
   • Political position: Many people of Indian origin hold top political positions in many countries, including US, UK, Canada etc.
     • For Example: Kamala Harris, the first female VP in US has an Indian origin.
   • As a Pressure groups: The influential Indian diaspora affects not just the popular attitude, but also government policies in countries where they live, to the benefit of India.
     • For Example: Lobbying for the US-India Civilian Nuclear Agreement Bill in 2008
2. Economic
   • Investment: Many emigrants make huge investments into their home countries helping in huge inflow of capitals that boost local economy and create huge jobs.
   • Remittances: Migrants’ remittances have positive systemic effects on the balance of payments. It helps to bridge a wider trade deficit.
     • For Example: India received the highest remittance of $78.6 bn (this amounts to a whopping 3.4% of India’s GDP) from Indians living abroad.
   • Richest diaspora: Indian diaspora is one of the richest minorities in many developed countries, this helped them to lobby for favourable terms regarding India’s interests.
     • For example: With 2.8 million, Indians may be just 1% of the U.S. population, but they are the most educated and richest minority, according to a 2013 Pew survey.
   • Tackle disguise unemployment: The migration of less-skilled labour (especially to West Asia) has also helped in bringing down disguised unemployment in India.
   • Generation of commercial ideas: By weaving a web of cross-national networks, the migrant workers facilitated the flow of tacit information, commercial and business ideas, and technologies into India.
   • Help in technology transfer: They help in bringing these technology and innovations to their country of origin through investment and collaborations.
   • Trans-national entrepreneurship: They are a significant source of trade and investment in India.
   • Technological graduates: They are the engineering and management graduates, who are in high-value jobs majorly located in, but not limited to, the western countries like US and Europe.
3. International
   • National representation across the globe: Diasporas are symbol of a nation’s pride and represent their country internationally. They help in building country’s value internationally through their huge success stories.
     • For Example: Executives like Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella etc. have reached the highest echelons in their respective sectors.
   • Enhancing India’s Soft Power: Their advantage is evident in “diaspora diplomacy”, whereby they act as “bridge-builders” between their home and adopted countries.
   • Help in boosting bilateral ties: Diaspora increasingly becoming prominent with getting prominent places in their residing nations like UK, USA which further helps in building better ties.
     • For Example: The President of Singapore, Governor-General of New Zealand and prime ministers of Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago were all of Indian descent.
   • Contribution to the place of residence: Similarly, their contribution to the country of residence is also noteworthy.
     • For Example: The Indian diaspora in UK is almost 1.8% of the total population of UK, but it contributes almost 6% of the total GDP of UK.

• Social

1. 1. • Socio-economic development: Remittances make an invaluable contribution by aiding in poverty reduction and changes in consumption behaviour in rural areas.
      • Help fight pandemic: Countries are helping India, one of the main reason is diaspora living and helping the resident country fighting the pandemic.
        • For Example: Sikh community distribute food in US, UK etc. as their part of traditional “Langar system”.

• Cultural

1. • Spread of indigenous culture and traditions: They spread the Indian Culture and traditions abroad benefitting India in general.
     • For Example: Yoga, Ayurveda, Indian Cuisine etc.

Challenges

1. Political
   • Heterogeneous diaspora: Indian Diaspora has different demands from the Indian Government.
     • For Example: The diaspora from the Gulf, look to India for support on welfare issues.
     • While those from wealthier nations such as the US look to India for investment opportunities.
   • Negative fallout: It must be remembered that having a strong diaspora does not always translate to benefits for the home country.
     • For Example: Recent demonstration in support of farmers’ protests, negative campaigning and foreign funding, for separatist movements like the Khalistan movement.
2. Economic
   • Returning diaspora: Diaspora in West Asia is semi-skilled and mainly engaged in the infrastructure sector. After the boom gets over India should be ready for the eventuality of Indian workers returning.
   • Impact of Covid-19: Covid-19 has triggered a reverse migration, whereby many migrant workers had to return to India and now facing restrictions regarding emigration.
   • Regulatory toil: There are many inadequacies of the Indian system for the diaspora to collaborate with India or to invest in the country.
     • For example: Grievances like red tape, multiple clearances, distrust of government are acting as hindrances in fulfilling opportunities presented by the Indian Diaspora.
   • Brain-drain: Indians prefer to do higher studies abroad and work as scientists and economists abroad causing India loss of talent in areas of research and development.
   • Reducing trends: The e-Migrate system and the Minimum Referral Wages policy have been detrimental to India as companies now find it easier to hire labour from other countries.

1. International
   • Anti-Globalization: With the rising Anti-globalization wave, there has been an increase in the incidents of suspected hate crimes against the Indian community.
   • Turmoil in West Asia: Despite the peace deal with Israel & the four Gulf countries (Abraham Accords), the situation in West Asia remains fluid due to prevailing tensions between Saudi-Arabia & Iran.

Government Initiatives

• Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (RPBD): To allow participation of the Indian diaspora who are unable to attend annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in India.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA): The Award shall be conferred on a NRIs, PIO or an organization or institution established and run by NRIs or PIOs.

• Know India Programme (KIP): Objective is to help familiarize Indian Diaspora youth, with developments and achievements made by the country and bringing them closer to the land of their ancestors.
• Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC): Under the scheme 100 scholarships upto USD 4000/annum are granted to PIO and NRI students for undergraduate courses in Engineering/Technology, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Commerce etc.
• Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card Scheme: Keeping in view Government’s deep commitment of engaging PIO with the land of their ancestors in a mutually beneficial relationship, the OCI Scheme was launched in 2005 by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Way Forward

• India should formulate a new NRI policy: Government must immediately work with developed countries to ask that they kick back a portion of the income tax revenues they collect from the Indian diaspora.
• Need for Evacuation Policy: There is a need for a strategic diaspora evacuation policy from conflict zones in a world.
• Translate partnership: India’s foreign policy aims to translate partnerships to benefits for key projects like Swachh Bharat, Clean Ganga, Make in India etc. the diaspora has plenty of scopes to contribute.
• Better connection: Social media tools made it easy and inexpensive for the Diaspora to stay in touch with families, and their link to India has never been stronger.

Conclusion

Today, the Indian diaspora is more prosperous than before and its involvement in India’s development is increasing. It contributes by way of remittances, investment, lobbying for India, promoting Indian culture abroad and for building a good image of India by their intelligence and industry.