India Canada Diaspora Links: Impact on Migration and Economy

Context:

• This article is based on an Editorial “An India-Canada bonding that is in danger of snapping” which was published in the Hindu.  Delays in resolving the tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa could damage the values of trust, time and loyalty of their deep migrant and diaspora links.

India Canada Diaspora Links

• India is a prime origin country of immigrants to Canada, who have settled there as naturalised citizens as well as permanent residents (PRs).
• Apart from the settled Indian diaspora, there are “temporary visitors” who are international students, trainees, exchange scholars, tourists, and their families.  
• According to the Census of Canada 2021, the country is home to over 1.86 million people of Indian origin, i.e., about 5% of the country’s 36.99 million population, and 5.8% of the 32 million strong global Indian diaspora.

Impact on Migration and Economy

• Remittances to India are from mainly migrant workers in West Asia/the Gulf countries.
• Bilateral Trade: In 2022, India was Canada’s 10th largest bilateral trading partner (exceeding $13.7 billion). Canada was India’s ninth largest partner, with exports up to $5.3 billion.
• Travelers: Visitors from India comprised Canada’s fourth largest international air travel market.
• Groupings: Canada and India are not only members of the Commonwealth but also signatories to the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration agreement, that was adopted at an intergovernmental conference on migration in Marrakesh, Morocco in December 2018.
  • Among the 23 objectives, one was to create conditions for migrants and diasporas to fully contribute to sustainable development in all countries.
• In 2021, Canadians visiting India spent $93 million, and tourists from India, exceeding 89,500 spent $3.4 billion in Canada.
• In 2022, Canada and India agreed to remove restrictions on the number of bilateral flights, which was previously limited to 35 per week.
• Now, there is practically a travel ban with visa issuance withheld and/or restricted on both sides subjecting migrants and diaspora to the miseries of uncertainty once again.

Also read: India Canada Relations Deteriorated: Amidst Khalistan Tensions

Conclusion:

The strained India Canada relations risk harming the strong bonds of trust and economic cooperation, particularly impacting the significant Indian diaspora in Canada.