Approach:

Introduction:  Define the scenario of the Indian diaspora going through history and our changing attitude towards them.

Body: Describe how they can act as partners for progress and challenges in ensuring so. Also, mention some government steps taken to strengthen ties.

Conclusion: Suggest further ways forward to increase ties for better partnership in growth.

Answer:

India is the top emigrant country in the world with its people dispersed all around the globe  as per World Migration Report, starting with the indentured labour system of the United Kingdom. The notion towards diaspora has been changing from people who have forgotten their country to reliable partners for progress in Amrit Kaal which is also the theme for the 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD).

Diaspora acting as reliable partners:

• Indian diaspora youth are active in the big tech sector now becoming leaders such as Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Sundar Pichai of Google. Such potential can be realised in innovations and new technologies to solve India-specific problems.
• To leverage India’s soft power with the Prime minister describing them as our brand ambassadors (Rashtradoots). They can address the world's desire to know more about India and its achievements such as the vaccination of record people during covid, UPI payments etc.
  1. To spread our culture-Pravasi Bharatiya Samman winner of 2017 Nisha Desai Biswal mentioned how Diwali is celebrated in all states of the USA making its way into the melting pot culture of the USA.
• Harnessing the potential of diaspora entrepreneurs towards an inclusive approach to nation-building by promoting startup ecosystems for this diaspora. For example liberalisation of drone regulations have attracted youth to set up drone startups and collaborate with the government.
• Utilising the youth to improve bilateral relations such as the role of Lobbying of our diaspora in the USA to eventually lead to the finalisation of the Indo-US nuclear accord. India-UAE relations have also improved substantially due to our blue-collar workers forming the majority of their workforce.
  1. Favourable approach towards India by diaspora presence in politics such as the President of Guyana, members of parliament of Mauritius
• Enabling global mobility of our workforce towards further skill development. This skill capital can become an engine of global growth and integrate us further into the global economy.

However, there are challenges towards making our diaspora partners for growth:

• Though India receives the highest remittances, diaspora interest is less in investment in India compared to what Jewish and Chinese diaspora invest in their economies.
• Politicisation of diaspora due to increased polarity in domestic politics with high political activism acting as a threat to long-term consolidation.
• Low-skilled and vulnerable diaspora has little say in Indian government steps like Pravasi Bharatiya Divas compared to the powerful diaspora of the west.
• Issues to the safety of our people such as in volatile west Asia affecting our relations, for example - Saudi Nitakat laws were alleged to discriminate against foreign workers.

Multiple steps are taken by the government of India in invigorating our connections with the diaspora:

• Declaration of Pravasi Bhartiya Divas and Samman awards since the Vajpayee era to connect with them. Role of ICCR to organise events in foreign countries
• Promotion of cultural ties for familiarisation of diaspora such as Know India Program, Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana, Bharat ko Janiye Quiz
• Reaching out by helping vulnerable Indians living abroad to file consular grievances online on services offered by Indian Missions through MADAD portal. Protection of overseas workers was made mandatory through Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana.
• Welfare through efforts like the Indian community welfare fund. Skill development of emigrants througH Pravasi Kaushal Vikas Yojana with the tagline Surakshit Jaaye Prashikshit Jaaye. Such efforts help increase capacity, ensuring their trust in the Indian government for further ties.

Further efforts towards investment promotion, and innovation, will help us realise the potential of our diaspora such as Madhya Pradesh’s - Invest Madhya Pradesh summit to attract global investment just after the 2023 PBD summit. Such efforts should be further taken up by individual state governments to tap into our dispersed assets for making Bharat a Vishwaguru.