WELCOME HOME!
Kalyani
Shankar *
Economic compulsions
may have driven them abroad to earn name and fame but now India
recognizes the overseas Indians by not only celebrating a Pravasi
Bharatiya Diwas on January 9 but also honouring a select few with
outstanding achievement awards.
Why has the Indian
diaspora suddenly become important? Historically, Indians have
always been adventurous and seafaring. Since Independence, some
of them have been returning to seek their roots and explore new
avenues for interaction. This trend has become more marked in
the last decade since the liberalization process began. There
are some three million Indians in the Gulf region (almost half
of them from Kerala), 22,000 in Mauritius, 20,000 in East Africa,
19,000 in Australia, 3 million in Canada, 1.1 million in the Caribbean
and South American countries besides 1.7 million in the United
States. In the United Kingdom, they form the single largest ethnic
community with four elected Members of Parliament and 11 in the
House of Lords.
Last year the
Singhvi committee was set up to study the diaspora issue and it
had come up with various suggestions. The Pravasi Diwas is the
first step towards implementation of this report recognizing the
important role of the diaspora in India’s technological, sociological
and economic transformation.
Today the Indian
diaspora numbers over 20 million spread far and wide. Their annual
income of $160 billion happens to be a third of India’s GDP. At
least 3,00,000 Indians are currently in Silicon Valley, USA and
the early ones who reached there in the nineteen sixties have
really struck rich. The past decade has witnessed their growth
in politics too. There are at least three Prime Ministers, about
250 parliamentarians and 28 ministers of Indian origin.
While some had
left India for greener pastures in the 19th century today it is
the third generation which is seeking its roots in the Indian
soil. In some countries like the US it is the second generation
which is flourishing. Some have even hired researchers to find
their moorings.
The NRIs, as
they are called today, are also getting slowly organized. The
fag end of the last century saw the vibrant face of Indian diaspora
be it in the United States, United Kingdom or in other countries.
They have become more organized and understand their influence
even as these countries too recognize their worth. Some like Lord
Paul have become parliamentarians while others like Amartya Sen
and Chandrashekhar have won Nobel Prizes. Then there are others
like the Hinduja brothers and Mittals who have become industrialists
while names like Jagdish Bhagawati bring laurels in the field
of economics.
India too has
begun to recognize their importance. For the first time the Indian
government has decided to recognize these people of Indian origin
by getting almost 2000 of them under one umbrella at the Pragati
Maidan to celebrate the Pravasi Diwas. This includes a galaxy
of political leaders like Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth
and Fiji’s former Premier Mahendra Chaudhury.
In almost all
the fields, people of Indian origin have earned name and fame
and the question now is what is it they can give to India and
what is it that India can give them? Obviously both have much
to give and take.
The impressive
diaspora can certainly play an important role in promoting India’s
interest abroad and act as its unnamed ambassadors. This is more
so in the fields of culture, education, economic development and
health and arts. Indians are leaders in areas like information
technology and largely contribute in this. Above all these PIOs
can help India by investing in Indian industry and infrastructure
to encourage its economic growth.
Dual citizenship
is one of the important demands of the diaspora. Presently, once
they opt to take foreign citizenship, they forfeit their Indian
citizenship. The Indian diaspora strongly feels that such a step
would result in their playing bigger role by way of investment
and other things. The Government has not been very enthusiastic
about this and has been putting off taking any decision in these
regards. Now, for the first time, they may hope to achieve their
dreams as the Government in principle has cleared the proposal
which may be announced on the Pravasi Diwas Day. This is not to
be granted automatically and those who desire for the dual citizenship
will have to apply to the Government of India which is the final
authority to grant or reject the request. Moreover, not all PIOs
will get citizenship as it has been decided that first it will
be confined to a few countries on the basis of reciprocity. Given
these criteria PIOs living in the US, U.K., Canada, Australia
, New Zealand, Singapore and some European countries will get
this facility. Most of all, it will not be applicable to Pakistan
for obvious reasons. One important thing is that the PIOs who
avail the dual citizenship facility are not entitled to vote in
elections. The diaspora may be thrilled with this gift but it
may take some time as this has to go to Parliament, which has
an overriding authority on passing any law and amending it. It
can be done either by amending the Citizenship Act or by passing
a new Act.
The Government
has already announced a PIO card (like the green card in the US),
which will give several facilities including educational facilities
to the PIOs. There, however, was some murmur about the high fee
for obtaining this PIO card with the result that the fee has been
reduced to half. If the dual citizenship dream materializes, then
they need not pay even this much money.
What are the
major issues pertaining to diaspora? There is need for better
interaction and requires deeper cultural relations. The Indian
Council for Cultural Relations has a big role to play in this
regard.
The diaspora
committee has recommended stronger role in the education sector.
India has to adopt a multi-pronged strategy in meeting the aspirations
of the diaspora. This includes building new residential schools,
provision of seats in Vidyalayas, launching off- shore branches
of IITs and IIMs and setting up new universities offering courses
of international standards.
On the economic
side. India could attract more Foreign direct investment if procedural
delays are cut down. The PIO leaders admit that the dual citizenship
is not automatically going to bring in more investment. At the
most it may bring in emotional investment. The climate has to
be created for investor’s confidence. The expertise in management,
financial, corporate, trade and banking sectors should be tapped
for economic rejuvenation of India. The second generation reforms
should be speeded up. The diaspora’s presence in their countries
of settlement has also catalyzed demand for Indian goods and services
ranging from food to fashion.
There, however,
was tremendous response when the Government came up with Resurgent
India Bond and India millennium deposits. The Government may have
to come up with more such schemes to attract the NRI investment.
On health services,
the Indian diaspora has earned a name and Indian doctors and nurses
are in great demand in the US, U.K. and other countries. Proper
climate for interaction with the Diaspora and health care authorities
would go a long way.
The Singhvi committee
has recommended setting up of an autonomous and empowered body
on the line of the Planning Commission for handling the multiple
issues generated by the diaspora interaction. This would provide
a mechanism for effective liaison.
India should
try to emulate the Chinese model in dealing with its diaspora.
The Chinese diaspora contributes 70 per cent of all inward direct
foreign investment into China. While ethnicity could be a factor
in China’s success in attracting funds from overseas Chinese,
economic imperatives including the booming Chinese economy and
sound government policies are the major factors for China’s success.
*
Freelance Journalist
