Once a person leaves the shores of his motherland and settles in another as a permanent immigrant, he is at the mercy of new dynamics. Family is often left behind and new relationships forged in the new land are the only family. Very few understand the insecurities that immigrants have to grapple with. The earliest Indian immigrants to North America were part of the Ghadar movement. Some of them had moved to Canada. Working in factories there. They continued to, however, face discrimination. It led them to abandon their culture to assimilate. Leading them to cut their hair and shave their beard. They even had difficulties in acquiring land because of racism. After independence, the descendants of the first Indian freedom fighters who had immigrated during the earlier part of the 20th century, were abandoned by the Indian administration under the first Prime Minister Nehru. When the Sikhs in the UK approached the Indian High Commission over racial issues, the Indian consulate declined to intervene and maintained a hands-off policy. The Sikhs were asked to find a solution themselves in their home country. On the other hand, Israel’s policy was starkly different. They would intervene for the Jews. Abandoned, alone, and hurt, the idea of a separate Sikh state was taking shape. This is precisely what the American establishment of Richard Nixon and Kissinger used to create the Khalistan movement.
Yes, once a person has ceased to remain a citizen of his origin country, there may no longer be a formal obligation of his country of birth to help the immigrant out. But immigrants can be a source of strength if they are cared for. That is a fact that the Indian administrations before the Modi government did not factor in.
The Outreach Spectacle
Indian PM Narendra Modi started a trend of large events with the Indian diaspora. At the forefront were the Hindu Americans. On May 23rd, 2023, over 21,000 Indians thronged the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Australia. Chartered flights from Melbourne called “Modi Airways” and from Queensland called “Modi Express” brought hundreds to Sydney that day. The Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also joined the show and called Modi “The Boss”, about the other “rockstar” who had lit up the place – Bruce Springsteen (the singer was nicknamed “The Boss”)
NRIs have seen how PM Modi has not just powered the Indian economy despite the crises impacting the world over the last 5 years
The year before that the Indian diaspora at the Audi Dome in Munich had welcomed Modi. Thousands had come to see him in Munich as well. Such large Indian diaspora meets have become a norm for Modi’s itinerary abroad. It all started with the great Madison Square Garden gathering in 2014. 18,500 to be precise! In 2015, he was in California and had an equally large gathering at San Jose’s SAP Centre. Massive crowds gathered there as well. 45,000, with 18,500 in the stadium! And a few weeks later in November, he was in London’s Wembley Stadium. This time with a crowd of 60,000!
The NRIs themselves sponsored these events. They would organize and attend paying for the entire cost while travelling from all over the country.
Engagement with the Diaspora
Diaspora Diplomacy: Prime Minister Modi’s outreach to the diaspora is a strategic part of his foreign policy, aiming to build a global community of Indians who are loyal to their host countries but also support their country of origin
- Special Programmes for NRIs: The government started various special programs for NRIs, such as the Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) scheme and the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, which is a day dedicated to the overseas Indian community
- Recognition as Brand Ambassadors: Modi’s government has shifted the narrative around the Indian diaspora from being seen as a “brain drain” to being acknowledged as “brand ambassadors” of
India, thus enhancing their role and status internationally
Investment Opportunities
- Invitation to Invest: PM Modi has called on NRIs to invest in India, promising significant growth and opportunities over the next 25 years, and has highlighted the present moment as an ideal time for NRIs to contribute to India’s progress
Government Schemes for NRI Investment: The Indian government offers a range of investment schemes for NRIs, including fixed deposits, mutual funds, government bonds, and the National Pension Scheme (NPS)
- Tax Exemptions and Repatriation: Some of these investment plans offer benefits like high returns, tax exemptions, and the flexibility of fund repatriation, making them attractive for NRIs looking to invest in their motherland
Protection and Welfare
- NRI Protection Bill: NRIs have sought the introduction of an NRI Protection Bill to address issues such as land encroachment, cheating, forgery, and illegal deposit withdrawals, which would provide legal protection and establish an NRI investigation agency
- Consular Services and Engagement: The Ministry of External Affairs has various engagement programs for the diaspora, including the National Pension Scheme for NRIs, Overseas Citizenship of India Scheme, and Know India Program
Infrastructure and Development
- Matrubhumi Scheme: In Uttar Pradesh, the Matrubhumi scheme allows NRIs to contribute financially to the development of infrastructure in their native places, with the government funding a portion of the project
Repatriation and Assistance
- Vande Bharat Mission: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Modi government launched the Vande Bharat Mission to assist in the repatriation of distressed Indian nationals stranded abroad
Cultural and Heritage Connections - Cultural Initiatives: The government has launched initiatives like the Know India Programme and Pravasi Teerth Darshan Yojana to connect the younger generation of the diaspora with Indian culture and heritage The benefits for the NRIs have been in every sphere – finance and investment, culture, business, and travel.
The Lure of Back Home
Increased engagement with the NRIs by the Modi government is also backed by strong economic progress in India.
Growth of Remittances
Every year, Indians are sending more money back to India, with remittances reaching $125 billion in 2023, making India the top remittance recipient globally.
The other major countries are Mexico and China with remittance inflows of $67 billion and
$50 billion respectively.
The Liberalized Remittance Scheme (LRS) was established by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in 2004, allowing Indian residents, including Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), to remit a certain amount of money during a financial year for various permissible current or capital account transactions. Over the years, the scheme has seen several revisions in terms of the remittance limit and the scope of permissible transactions.
Backing Modi
Over the years, NRIs have seen how PM Modi has not just powered the Indian economy despite the crises impacting the world over the last 5 years. The increase in India’s stature around the world improves the chances for the diaspora in their countries too. Compared to the previous administrations that had almost run the economy down before the Modi government took the reigns of the country. From a time when everyone was questioning India’s place in the BRICS group in 2014 to a time when India is the 5th largest economy in the world, the distance traversed has been quite significant. In this general election, 3000 members of the Overseas Friends of the BJP will be travelling to India to campaign for the re-election of their favourite leader. Hundreds of thousands of calls will be made by the volunteers. The bond between the NRIs and the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is special. PM Modi has seen how useful an engagement with those who are far from their homeland can be. The NRIs have seen how the world is changing and know the pressures that powerful groups and countries exert on developing countries. They can sense what it takes for a developing country to shake its limitations and grow despite the odds. All the shackles they had seen restricting the India they left behind are progressively being taken apart.
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