UN report lists Indian diaspora to be the largest at 17.5 million, a number we should harvest as a strategic asset

There’s no doubt that Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) have been assets to host countries. But now they can be the nation’s valued spokespersons, lobbyists and ambassadors and project our face to the world as the UN’s International Migrant Stock report has declared the Indian diaspora to be the biggest with a total strength of 17.5 million. Though we have been topping the diaspora chart in recent times, what is commendable is that we have been able to maintain our spot despite stringent visa norms by some nations. This pool represents a little over six per cent of the total global migrant population. The latest report comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Howdy” event in Houston where he is expected to address a 50,000-strong congregation of NRIs, a constituency that even US President Donald Trump cannot ignore as he hopes to cultivate numbers for his re-election campaign. With the US imposing strict migration norms, the number of Indians migrating to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) outnumbered those of the US, clearly pointing out that you cannot put down an enterprising Indian. This despite a 21 per cent decline in the number of emigration clearances to the UAE.

For some time now, Asian nations have sought to tap into their diaspora to present their case to the Western majors, convince them of their growth potential, procure funding and improve technical knowhow. It is the intense engagement with the diaspora that has helped us score many points in both international and soft diplomacy,  strengthened our brand and reshaped perceptions. India is among the largest remittance-receiving countries in the world with NRIs  ploughing back $80 billion back home. These have had a multiplier effect on our economy, particularly in the social sectors that encompass a slew of educational and healthcare projects. They have also been instrumental in bringing back international domain expertise, the reason why Bengaluru, Gurugram and Hyderabad have today become technological hubs with the existence of multinational companies like Google, Amazon, IKEA and Facebook among others. The Government could immediately formalise a rotation exchange programme at all levels for top NRI scientists, engineers, doctors, managers and professionals to serve in their home country for a brief period. The Indian diaspora consists of some accomplished individuals, who have made the country proud. Many of them are visible in electoral politics and even hold key positions within administrations in other nations. With their increasing prominence, the Government, too, has been reaching out to them to keep them invested in the cause of furthering India’s interests. Besides, with countries like Canada and Australia relaxing rules for work permits based on competence and even Germany encouraging flow of skilled workers and service professionals, there’s an exodus of middle classes. We need to keep them connected. The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has emerged as a solid cross-flow platform while the Government has been walking the extra mile to rescue Indians from crisis situations, be it in Iraq, Syria or Libya. Yet much more needs to be done to ensure big-ticket investments and NRI inclusion in the domestic discourse. The Government needs to work on a policy outreach consistently as NRIs clearly are our “strategic asset.”