By Eugene Sebastian
It is estimated that the total size of Indian diaspora abroad or the Non-Resident Indians (NRI) is in the vicinity of 20 million. The NRIs are located in the Gulf states, South East Asia, South Africa, parts of Latin America, to Fiji, Mauritius, the United Kingdom and the United States.
As a 'scattered' group they have recently attracted official attention in India. The Indian government has just begun mapping out the Indian settlement and communities abroad.
According to Sanjay Chaturvedi in a recent Asian Affairs Journal, the Indian government decision to upgrade the Indian diaspora on its list of foreign policy priorities might be seen as a ‘response to the emerging contours and compulsions of the international geopolitical economy’. ‘It should be noted’, according to Chaturvedi, ‘that the economic strategies of transnational groups represent a new source and a force to respect within international finance and commerce.’
It seems that their growing importance stems not only from the impressive remittances they bring to India's economy but also the potential political roles they may play in the countries they live.
A high level Committee on Indian Diaspora was appointed by the Ministry of External Affairs in September 2000 to recommend a broad and flexible policy framework towards non-resident Indians (NRI).
One key aspect of the report is the recognition of the political influence NRIs have in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States in playing a major role in helping further India’s foreign policy and security goals.
According to the report, a section of financially powerful and politically well connected Indian Americans have emerged during the last decade to effectively mobilise on foreign policy issues relating to India and play a crucial role in generating a favourable climate of opinion in Congress.
Indians in America for example represent a rapidly growing Asian American group. The community is said to earn a median income of $60,093 – nearly double the media income of all American families. There are about 200,000 Indian millionaires. About 58 percent of Indian Americans over the age of twenty-five have a college degree. 43.6 percent of Indian Americans in the work force are employed as managers or professionals. There are as many as 35,000 Indian American physicians. Nearly 300,000 Indian Americans work in high tech industries. 15 percent of Silicon Valley start-up firms are owned by Indian Americans. More than 5,000 Indian Americans are on the faculties of American universities. And 74,603 Indians are studying in the United States, making Indians the largest group of students in the country.
To understand how to effectively leverage on its diaspora, the Committee claims to have studied in depth the Jewish, Polish, Lebanese, Italian, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Irish diasporas. Two Diaspora models have impressed the Committee the most are the Jewish and Chinese.
Some of the Committee’s recommendations include granting of dual nationality to members of the Diaspora; establishing viable structures for handling issues related to the Diaspora; creating a scheme similar to the ‘Israel Bond’ used in Israel’s reconstruction efforts, to strengthen the Indian national economy and infrastructure; and creating new institutions, boosting the strength of overseas mission to help provide security to its overseas workers
Readings:
- Sanjay Chaturvedi. Asian Affairs, an American Review. Washington: Fall 2005. Vol. 32, Iss. 3; p. 141 (29 pages)
- Reworlding: the literature of Indian diaspora - link
- From International Migration to Transnational Diaspora - link
In fact much talked about Indo-US Nuclear Deal,meant to overcome India's looming energy crisis, would not have been passed in the US Congress without the intense lobbying effort by Indian Americans alongwith US India Business Council and Lobbying firms hired by Indian Government. Indian diaspora in the United Sttaes has lobbied in recent years not only for their benefits but also for the betterment of US-India relations.
For many Indian Americans this increasingly contentious battle in Congress was a unique opportunity to demonstrate their growing political influence in their adopted country. Looking at the divisions within the India Caucus in Congress over the intrinsic worth of the deal, Indian Americans, along with leading India Caucus members Garry Ackerman, Frank Pallone, John Cornyn and Indian American organizations lobbied to ensure the safe passage of the nuclear bill.
India Americans reached out to the 43 member Black Caucus and 20 member Hispanic Caucus to expand its legislative support. India's vote against the Iranian nuclear programme helped Indian Americans in confirming support from the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) for the deal.
Much of the lobbying effort of Indian Americans was focussed on lawmakers from the New York metropolitan region, with its heavy concentration of Indian-Americans. USINPAC is organizing a fundraiser this month for Senator Hillary Clinton, co-chairwoman of the Senate's 39-member India Caucus. Her support was deemed crucial. Most members of the India Caucus are Democrats, but many of them had shown reluctance in supporting the bill, since they take the nuclear non-proliferation agenda very seriously. The support of Hillary Clinton and her husband, Bill Clinton, former President and a prominent Democratic leader, who seriously pursued non-proliferation policies, ensured the support of a majority of the Democrats for the nuclear pact.
In addition, the United States -India Business Council (USIBC) and Indian American Friendship Council are also involved in lobbying for the nuclear deal.
Looking at the examples of powerful influence of ethnic lobby groups, like the Jewish Americans and business groups on US foreign policy making in the past, Indian Diaspora too exploited the lobbying practice in the US Congress to confirm the nuclear, which is now known as Henry J. Hyde United States-India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act 2006.
Dr. Ashok Sharma is with Centre for Air Power Studies, New Delhi.
Posted by: Dr. Ashok Sharma | January 18, 2007 at 06:24 PM