Successful Indian descents in the likes of Parag Agarwal, Ajay Banga, Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Leena Nair, Indra Nooyi, or Kamala Harris are running international organisations or CEOs of international business firms, career legislatures respectively; indirectly leveraging India’s image as a global powerhouse.
Today’s new era of diplomacy increasingly requires capital, connections, and a common approach to global competition. India’s leadership currently run by Prime Minister Modi has efficiently nurtured the Indian diaspora in playing an important visible role in public diplomacy.
Diplomacy often summaries the demands of domestic association with an international connection. It binds in the visible formulations of cultural ties that in return sheath eco-political liaison. The global rise of India from its increase in trade and investment to Make in India to the Prime Minister being referred to as ‘the boss’ by Australian PM Albanese in the recently culminated India Australia Diaspora mega event at Sydney, signifies India’s rousing recognition as an icon of diplomacy.
Whereas the world is a definite one, reflected in India’s G20 presidency theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (one earth, one future, one family), it is also visible in the ‘bromance style’ meet-up of world leaders nowadays — the hugs and hi-fives; imparting a warmer display of camaraderie which was usually a formal affair of handshakes.
Since acceptance of opinions leads to win-win situation, Indian leadership has been accepted as a global leadership that allows the Indian diaspora to feel empowered, energised and engaged. Even the Western leaders are aspiring to cling on.
India received the highest ever foreign inward remittances in a single year (2021-2022), despite struggling global recovery post-pandemic, Indian diaspora stands as the largest and richest diaspora community in the world. It signifies a prominent reason why India is in a headstrong direction despite the global recession.
Naturally, the contribution also highlights a financial backup to political parties in power, leveraging a popular vote bank politics; but the diaspora is capable of acting as an individual entity or a pressure group that can influence the domestic situation. A case in point had been the repeal of Farm bills in 2021. Hence, since India is a diverse land, there will always lay support on both sides of the table.
The current Indian leadership has been an active proponent of diaspora support and while being vocal about it, the leadership makes it a point to bond with members of Indian communities in large numbers during any trip abroad. At his state visit trip to the United States, the Indian Diaspora is eager and excited. From a youth icon to a globally profiled leader — they regard him all.
Therefore, in today’s tech age, while internet reach is influencing opinions, a continuum of connections is made possible by several organisations; both public and private working on the ground to make such mega events a success.
Even as India’s external affairs minister’s popularity had been on the rise since Sushma Swaraj’s rapid action into the grievance of Indians abroad, the demand for Indian foreign services amongst Indians to represent India at a global scale is linked to the dynamic nature of the foreign services reputation amongst the masses.
In its report for the welfare of Indian diasporas, the parliamentary standing committee emphasised to further cement the trust by implementing policies like rehabilitation of workers, skilling initiatives, etc. It is a step towards appropriating policies to harness the diaspora asset of scientists, professionals, and individuals. It is more so to bridge the physical divide and multiply the hold over the heterogonous context of Indianness, generating a wider opening to connect with their roots.
Needless to say, while Indian Diaspora is a strategic asset, it shouldn’t only remain a contest to be won over between the ruling and the opposition. The opposition’s efforts to integrate India with only ‘love’ has been visible through the Bharat Jodo Yatra and Rahul Gandhi’s trip to the United States is witnessing him mingle with the Indian populace at large — university students to truck drivers.
It is the positive rise of the Indian decade. India has been and further needs to grow in all directions. By disseminating Yoga and Ayurveda as soft power elements, ICCR has been directed to establish certification boards for the same.
While diaspora will only grow as important indicator of a country’s global profile, countries of Asia-Pacific can learn a cue or two from India to utilise and regard their diaspora communities’ as ‘one’.
[Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with the Indian Community in Saudi Arabia. Photo by Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India, via Wikimedia Commons]
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
Lakhan Bir Meena is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for East Asian Studies, JNU. His area of research primarily deals with North Korean ideology and Foreign affairs.
