The Fruits Of India’s ‘Diaspora Diplomacy’ Are Sweet But Can Everyone Taste It?

Renowned Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal captured the sentiment behind India’s "diaspora diplomacy" in his 1904 composition when he said ‘Saare Jahaan Se Acha Hindustan Hamara.’ Whether the world revels over United States President Joe Biden’s Deepavali extravaganza at the White House or welcomes Britain’s first non-white (and Indian origin) Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, Indian 'diaspora diplomacy' has been far-reaching in more ways than one.

Proudly so, ‘We Indians are everywhere!’ In fact, according to the United Nations’ World Migration Report, India is the largest country of origin for diaspora globally. But what makes the diaspora’s presence ‘felt,’ is the role that they have played as ‘Brand Ambassadors’ for India the world over. Certainly, India’s vibrant community of disparates aids the nation’s visibility at global fora, boosts economic prosperity in the homeland through remittance earnings, and upscales foreign investments. But this community of nearly 32 million Indian-origin people has performed a multifaceted role in India’s development for centuries.

Politics of Visibility

From António Costa (Portugal) to Kamala Harris (USA), from Priti Patel to Suella Braverman (Britain), from Anita Anand (Canada) to Priyanka Radhakrishnan (New Zealand), news of Indians occupying spots at high tables across the world has remained abuzz. This not only accords higher political representation to persons of Indian origin on a global footing, but also enhances our visibility and voice at multilateral fora such as the UN. 

Additionally, this representation has culminated in the fructification of various bilateral deals in India’s favour. For instance, Sunak’s appointment as the PM has reignited the hope for an early conclusion of a balanced India-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement.

In fact, recent times are rife with such deals bearing fruits for India’s diaspora diplomacy. For example, Indian-origin Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa inked multiple bilateral memoranda of understanding in fields of double taxation avoidance, space, science and technology, and was even an honorary guest at the 2017 Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas celebrations in India. Likewise, the intervention of Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera in US’ Defence budget speech led to an amendment that included a 180-day deadline for the US to develop its defence strategy with India, and today the two nations share the accolade of being “Major Defence Partners".

” Furthermore, even besides those in power, the Indian diaspora community, despite residing in far off lands has been extremely closely bound to Indian politics. Disparates have often functioned as offshore pressure groups and vote banks for political parties in India, which is substantiated by the Election Commission of India’s nascent promises to introduce e-postal ballots for Non-Resident Indian voters. In recent times, the diaspora community has also acquired a strong voice that has influenced domestic policy formulation, over contentious issues such as the abrogation of Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act, the farmer's protests and so on.

The roots of diasporic strength in Indian history

The expat community has in fact, always been a strong lobby for Indian interests. In the aftermath of the country’s controversial nuclear tests in 1998, many expats were at the forefront of moulding public opinion in favour of India, particularly in the United States as they aided the signing of the US-India Civil Nuclear Energy Deal in 2008. In fact, then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh even publicly expressed his “special gratitude to the Indian community in the United States of America for the efforts made by them in mobilizing support of the political leadership in that country for Indo-US cooperation.”

In this regard, one may observe that Indian political issues have historically voyaged to various corners of the world, with the Indian diaspora functioning as its efficient commanders. For one, the role played by Indians residing abroad in the country’s freedom struggle cannot be overstated. Multiple pro-independence organizations such as the Ghadr Party headed by Lala Hardyal in the US, Indian Home Rule Society led by Shyamji Krishna Varma, Virendra Chattopadhaya’s Berlin Committee, and most importantly Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj made indispensable contributions towards the Indian freedom struggle.

‘Chutnification’ of Culture: Diaspora as guardians of soft power

Besides being a political hotbed, the overseas Indian community has also become an exhibition stage for displaying Indianness through traditional customs and celebrations. With the US Congress mulling over a bill to declare Diwali a federal national holiday, France hosting a European Yoga festival, and a heightening global interest in the Sanskrit language all point to the successes of India’s soft power diplomacy. For instance, according to a report published in the Hindustan Times, North America - primarily the US - has emerged as the largest hub of Sanskritic academic institutions globally.

An article published by the NATO Association of Canada, titled Diaspora Diplomacy: India’s Global People Power As An Asset Of Its National Strategy describes this phenomenon of Indian immigrants integrating into their host countries, and yet holding onto and dispersing their cultural heritage as “chutnification,” wherein cultural diplomacy has worked as a type of “cheap diplomacy” to enhance India’s influence in global circles.

In fact, expats have not only performed a vital role in disseminating Indian culture, but have also been guardians of our heritage. For instance, the India Pride Project started in 2016 by two NRIs was instrumental in bringing back stolen heritage objects to the homeland. The project enabled the return of the Nataraja bronze statue from Australia and the Yakshi bronze sculpture from the US, and has since embarked upon similar such endeavors.

This spirit of the diasporic community as cultural vanguards dates back to ancient times. After Mauryan emperor Ashoka gave up war as a means of conquest, he too propagated soft power diplomacy. According to the Buddhist text Mahavamsa, Ashoka sent his son Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka to spread the message of Buddhism to form closer ties with the Lankan rulers.

Dollarising development in India

While so far, it is evident that the diaspora community’s value goes beyond their dollars, their contributions have immensely fuelled economic development back home. According to a World Bank report, India is globally the largest receiver of remittances, with net factor income from abroad amounting to as high as $87 billion in 2021 (3.4% of India’s GDP). These contributions have also come in the form of crucial foreign investment in sectors such as education, healthcare, and fintech. For instance, the Indian Business School in Hyderabad was constructed entirely through diasporic contributions.

Furthermore, members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in the US launched an “Adpot a Village” scheme in 2021 to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence. The doctors came together to “adopt” 75 villages in India spread across the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, where natives will be offered free health screenings and counseling for anaemia, high cholesterol, malnutrition, kidney disease, obesity etc, Times of India reported.

Making Diaspora diplomacy more inclusive

To that extent, NRIs’ financial contributions have for decades supported human development and infrastructure advancement in Kerala as well as the green revolution in villages of Punjab. Additionally, most of them are also able to spend lavishly on their trips back home, thus generating tourism employment and income for those in India.

However, while we admire the expats' success stories, we must acknowldge that the said prosperity amongst the community presents only one side of the picture. While the upper-caste, upper-class elite sections of the community earn goodwill, name and fame in India and the world over, an overwhelming majority of Indians residing abroad still struggle to make ends meet in exploitative working conditions. Cultural disparate diplomacy has too, largely been bent to suit the Hindutva brand of politics back home. 

Against this backdrop, there is a pertinent need for the government of India to make inclusivity a core aspect of diaspora diplomacy for India’s quest for excellence in the 4Ds: Democracy, Demography, Demand, and Diaspora deserves the support of one strong pillar in more ways than one.

In order to honor these myriad contributions made by the overseas Indian community to India’s progress and growth, the Ministry of External Affairs has celebrated January 9 as Pravasi Bhartiya Divas every year since 2003. In this regard, noted Mauritian historian-poet Vishwamitra Ganga Aashutosh aptly praised Indian migrant workers’ commitments when he said “No gold did they find underneath any stone they touched and turned… and yet.. Every stone they touched, into solid gold they turned.”