Context:
Recently, a Parliamentary committee released a comprehensive report on Indian Diaspora.
About Indian Diaspora:
- NRI’s: – Indian citizens staying abroad for indefinite period for whatever purpose. Majority in Gulf.
- PIO’s: – Overseas Indians who have become citizens of the countries of their settlement.
- Overseas Citizens of India: Foreign Citizens now, earlier indian citizens who migrated abroad after 26th Jan 1950.
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- Indian Diaspora is the group of people who are currently living outside India (temporary or permanent) and those who can trace their origin to India.
- It is commonly understood to include Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), who are citizens of India and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) including Persons of Indian Origins (PIOs), who are foreign nationals.
- PIO and OCI card holders have been merged under one category OCI in 2015.
- India has one of the largest diaspora in the world with over 31 million including over 13 million NRIs and 18 million PIOs spread across the globe.
Composition of the Indian Diaspora:
- The composition of the Indian diaspora is diverse, consisting of laborers/workers, traders , political leaders, professionals as well as students and spread across the world with major concentration in U.S, Canada, UK, Australia, Gulf, E.U. South & West Africa and Girmitiya countries.
- Girmitiya countries are the countries where Indians were taken as indentured laborers to work on plantations in British colonies.
- Girmitiya includes countries like- Fiji, Mauritius, Jamaica, South Africa, Guyana.
Evolution of India’s Diaspora Policy:
- 1950: Initially, India was of the view that the cause was the overseas Indians and the host countries, who should be fully responsible for their welfare and security.
- Accordingly India’s foreign policy was structured as a model of non-interference in case of issues faced by emigrant Indians.
- 1980’s: Change in diaspora policy which included inviting Indians abroad, regardless of their nationality, to participate in nation-building.
- Post 2000s: Introduction of a host of positive measures such as a separate Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, the Person of Indian Origin Card, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
Tangible Benefits of Indian Diaspora:
- Serve as ambassadors of India’s interests abroad.
- Work as bridges between the Indian government and host countries.
- Plays an important role in social and economic development of India
- They are Indian voice in multilateral fora
- Play an important role in Track 2 diplomacy
Major lacunae identified by the committee in effective engagement with Diaspora:
- Lack of authentic database: Since registration by the diaspora is voluntary, the entire diaspora does not register with the Indian Embassies/Posts abroad and the data also varies because of the mobility of the diaspora.
| Major challenges faced by Indian Diaspora
West Asia Specific
- Low oil prices owing to Shale gas boom, slower global growth and fierce competition from Rising conflicts and instability due to the Shia-Sunni conflicts and the radical Islamism affecting security of Indians.
- Exploitative Kafala labor system.
- Nitaqat Law which aims to replace a large section of overseas workers with locals in Saudi Arabia.
U.S. , Canada & UK:
- Discriminating Practices, Protectionism and stricter H-1B visa norms.
General Economic Issues:
- Violation of contractual terms, adverse working conditions.
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- Exclusion of a large population: Low/semi-skilled and blue collar workers may not find a place or feel comfortable to participate in the PBD celebrations as the general profile of participants is seen to be of very high level.
- No clear policy: The policy of the Government evolves based on the feedback which it gets from the diaspora from time to time.
- High number of unresolved grievances in the various Embassies.
- No specific scheme exists for the rehabilitation of the workers who lost their jobs.
Recommendations of the committee
- Bring out a policy document on diaspora to serve as a for deeper and guiding principle with the diaspora community.
- Maintenance of data: Concerted efforts may be made to collate an authentic database of the Indian diaspora at Ministry level and use it appropriately in preparing and implementing welfare schemes for the diaspora community.
- Paradiplomacy: Stepping up efforts of coordination and closer interaction with the State Governments for successful implementation of programmes—’ and schemes.
- Qualitative and quantitative improvements in the grievance redressal system so that all the pending cases are resolved within a specific time frame.
- Cultural Diplomacy: Deepening engagement through organization of cultural events at–Missions/Consulates showcasing the rich historical and cultural heritage of India /or cultural diplomacy and soft power projection abroad.
- Comprehensive rehabilitation scheme must be worked in for those workers who lost their jobs due to epidemics or other disasters.
News Source: Livemint
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August 31, 2023
