Gist of Role of Indian Diaspora in Making India Self-Reliant | Gist of Rajya Sabha TV / RSTV (now Sansad TV) - UPSC PDF Download

The Big Picture: Role of Indian Diaspora in Making India Self-Reliant

Context

Background

• He assured the Indian diaspora that the country always stands with them, while mentioning that over 45 lakh people were repatriated under the Vande Bharat mission during the pandemic. 
• The Prime Minister assured the lessons learnt by India during the pandemic have become an inspiration for the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative, and this movement for self-reliance is meant to help others as “Made in India” products and solutions will benefit the world. 
• He mentioned India will continue to play its role as the world’s pharmacy and protect humanity from Covid-19.

Summary of the Debate

Role of Indian Diaspora

• The pandemic has created a need for becoming self reliant in terms of Health, Habitat and hunger and Indian diaspora plays a very critical role in crossing the threshold and deciding the future of the economy.
• Indian diaspora is around 3.2 crore and India is top receiver of remittances which contributes to around 3% of GDP and results in co-creation and co-development.
• It can be an aiding vehicle for Industrial revolution 4.0 and can act as a living bridge in terms of Technology and Finance.
• India is being a business and investor friendly country in terms of allowing Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) and Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card holders for investing in various sectors and as result India is being leveraged as an offshore facility for investments.
• A cluster based investment approach where Indian diaspora can play a permanent role in various sectors like green and brown field manufacturing, financial sector, industrial sector, technology and especially in the Health sector need to be encouraged.

Role of Indian Diaspora in The Development of The Indian IT Industry

• Diasporas have emerged as one of the agents of development in today's world. India's experience with the IT industry can be cited as one of the best instances of Diaspora-induced development. 
• The Indian Diaspora has shared a symbiotic relationship with the Indian IT industry, where both have reinforced each other's quantitative and qualitative growth over the decades. 
  • On the one hand, the Indian Diaspora brought a multi-layered gain to the IT industry in terms of enhanced skills; capital formation (human, social and financial); inward remittances; foreign direct investment flows; creation of networks/markets and a boost for India's image. 
  • On the other hand, the Indian IT industry created a strong incentive for the mobility of highly skilled professionals and provided the Diaspora with the much needed opportunity to engage with their motherland.

About Diaspora

• Indians living overseas constitute one of the world’s largest, most dynamic and oldest Diaspora communities. They constitute a series of migrations spanning several decades and centuries. 
• The history of the Indian Diaspora is closely linked to India’s trade links and can be traced back nearly four millennia, when the Indus Valley Civilization traded with ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. 
• The modern Diaspora is 26 million strong with roots enmeshed with the advent of Colonialism in the 19th century when European powers consolidated their claims across Asia. 
• The 20th century and Indian Independence brought to the fore a new generation of Indians living and working abroad. 
• Now in the 21st Century, Indians live in over 140 countries across the globe. While some identify themselves as first-generation Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), others, whose forefathers emigrated, are termed as People of Indian Origin (PIOs). 
• India continues to be the largest country of origin of international migrants with a 17.5 million-strong diaspora across the world, and it received the highest remittance of USD 78.6 billion from Indians living abroad

Government Initiatives for Indian Diaspora

• Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (RPBD):  to allow participation of the Indian diaspora who are unable to attend annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in India.  
• Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards (PBSA): The Award shall be conferred on a Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Person of Indian Origin (PIO) or an organization or institution established and run by Non-Resident Indians or Persons of Indian Origin.
• Know India Programme (KIP): The objective is to help familiarize Indian Diaspora youth, in the age group of 18-26 years, with developments and achievements made by the country and bringing them closer to the land of their ancestors.
• Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC): Under the scheme 100 scholarships upto US$ 4000 per annum are granted to PIO and NRI students for undergraduate courses in Engineering/Technology, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Commerce, Management, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture/Animal Husbandry etc.
• Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Card Scheme: Keeping in view Government's deep commitment of engaging Persons of Indian Origin with the land of their ancestors in a mutually beneficial relationship, the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) Scheme was launched in August, 2005 by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Conclusion