One of the largest diasporas in the world, India’s, keeps moving up the ladder of importance in a variety of professions around the world. The Indian diaspora has left its mark on practically every aspect of society, from corporate moguls to eminent scientists, from tech experts to political leaders. India as a country has profited enormously from this worldwide reach, in addition to the recognition and prosperity that it has brought to individuals. India’s prosperity and international position have both benefited from using its diaspora’s skills, networks, prestige, and emotional links.
The Indian diaspora is a diversified and active community that spans the globe, with an estimated 32 million people of Indian descent residing overseas and over a million of our citizens going abroad for work every year. This diaspora, which was created via migration and the Indian diaspora’s historical and cultural ties to their homeland through many generations, is today prominent in a number of different fields.
The relationship goes beyond the simple legal one of citizenship. Indians who work overseas give this money to their families in India. The relationship is emotional and filial to the native nation. Even after living far from home for decades or even generations, cultural traits are preserved.
300 trailblazing members of the Indian diaspora from 26 countries participated in Indiaspora’s G20 forum in August as part of India’s G20 chairmanship, which ends this weekend with a massive summit of world leaders.
The Indiaspora event examined how the diaspora can help “India@100” succeed in 2047 in an effort to become the “Davos for the Global Indian. Ambassadors, cabinet secretaries, investors, business moguls, corporate titans, philanthropists, educators, artists, medical professionals, torchbearers for the next generation, AI geniuses, and environmental specialists were among the participants.
Indiaspora is a non-profit organization that was established in the US in 2012. It currently operates in eight nations and aspires to forge lasting connections in at least 20 more. We include Fortune 500 CEOs, leaders in politics and public policy, academics, artists, and legal luminaries, as well as investors, doctors, scientists, and environmentalists. Of course, we also include entrepreneurs. Even in the American sporting world, which was until recently a profession that most of us hardly gave any thought to, people of Indian descent are beginning to make progress.
The intimate ties between the diaspora and the homeland are advantageous for India. The relationship goes beyond the simple legal one of citizenship. Indians who work overseas give this money to their families in India. The relationship is emotional and filial to the native nation. Even after living far from home for decades or even generations, cultural traits are preserved. As an illustration, remittances from the diaspora to India exceeded $100 billion in 2022. Foreign direct investment is 27% lower than this level. It is hardly surprising that the US alone accounted for approximately a fourth of these remittances. There are other important factors besides international financial flows. People of Indian descent make up just more than 1% of the American population, yet they contribute 6% of the country’s tax revenue, according to a recent study. Along with other things, this gives the Indian diaspora a strong voice on matters of bilateral significance in the US-India corridor.
Many observers have noted that America is actively working to strengthen bilateral ties with India while paying close attention to the country. Witness the important, in-depth conversations that took place during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent watershed state visit.
The Indian diaspora in the US has significantly increased the recent momentum for cooperation between the two countries’ education sectors. At the Indiaspora G20 Forum, a panel debate on this subject was held. Diaspora organizations in the US, like Indiaspora, have contributed to reforms in procedures and regulations regarding immigration and visas, a contentious topic for millions, and are now working to promote favorable legislation. India needs raw materials in the early stages of COVID in order to start producing vaccines. The Indian diaspora allowed the flow of resources, know-how, and expertise from the US to India, which led to India’s rise as a sought-after and dependable global supplier of vaccines. The diaspora has recently played these specific, productive, and advantageous roles.
It bears repeating that the groundbreaking civil nuclear accord between America and India about two decades ago was made possible in large part by the diaspora. Prior G20 presidency priorities included advancing women’s rights, combating corruption, enhancing financial governance, ensuring the fairness of the international tax system, promoting trade and investment, and addressing climate change. India has selected a theme that is more sweeping and is supported by specific areas of focus.
The aspirational appeal of India’s G20 tagline, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” which promotes it as a unifier among nations, is unaffected by the absence of two important leaders from the Indian capital. The diaspora would do well to emulate India’s G20 leadership as it rises to become a major global force.
The world of business and entrepreneurship is one of the most significant fields in which the Indian diaspora has achieved success. Indian-origin entrepreneurs and executives have been instrumental in the growth of multinational organizations from Silicon Valley to Wall Street. The CEOs of Google, Adobe, and Shantanu Narayen, as well as the former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi, are just a few instances of diaspora members who have achieved success in their respective fields. Their achievements have improved India’s economic standing around the world, in addition to advancing their own professional careers.
The academic and scientific communities have had a considerable impact on the Indian diaspora. India has gained honor thanks to the contributions of people like Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, the chemistry Nobel laureate, and astronomer Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, the physics Nobel laureate. Their studies and discoveries have advanced human understanding and enhanced India’s standing as a center of superior science.
India gains by utilizing the talents, networks, stature, and emotional links to their nation of origin of the growing Indian diaspora as they advance to prominent positions in a range of professions around the world. This symbiosis portends well for India’s advancement toward and after 100 years of freedom. India’s G20 presidency is considered to have culminated with the Leaders’ Summit. It is a call to arms for a shared, better future that is full of opportunities to be a force for good from the perspective of the diaspora.
The Indian diaspora is proof of the Indian people’s impact and worldwide reach. Their achievements in a variety of sectors have improved not just their individual positions but also India’s standing internationally. India stands to gain significantly from its diaspora’s skills, networks, prestige, and emotional links in terms of the economy, diplomacy, and culture. The growth of Indian talent and its beneficial effects on the world stage will continue to be seen around the world thanks to the symbiotic link between India and its diaspora.
