INDIAN DIASPORA AND NON RETURNABLE INDIANS

 DIMENSIONS OF INDIAN EMIGRATION 

As per May 2024 estimate Indian diaspora comprising of both persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and non resident Indians (NRIs) together constitute 35,42 million  (3.542 crores) which is the largest among world diaspora spread  across more than 200 countries. Out of total 8.2 billion global population ,  India account for 1.46  billion. Among the total number of Indian diaspora of  35.42 million abroad top ten recipient countries comprise of , USA accounting for the largest number of 5.4 million followed by UAE 3.6 million Malaysia 2.9 million, Canada 2.8 million, Saudi Arabia 2.4 million  Myanmar 2 mllion, UK 1.8 million South Africa 1.7 million ,Srilanka 1.6 million and in Kuwait,1.029 million .Historically the  demand for Indian labour increased after British Parliament abolished slavery in their  colonial plantations in 1834 and new system of indentured labour (half way between slavery and freedom) came into existence where the planters provided with subsistence levels of food,shelter, clothing ,free medical aid  and stipulated low wages .  A good number of Indians were pushed to emigrant  countries like Srilanka, Malaysia, Burma,Trinidad and Tobago etc.By 1920 under public pressure the system of indentured labour was abolished .Further Indian emigration revived only after the depression of 1930s .Along with children and grand children of colonial labour some expatriate enterprises of Indian communities of Gujaratis,Punjabis and Chettiars also operated in these counries .In 1960s USA adopted very liberal immigration policy  attracting young brains including doctors, engineers, scientists and other professionals resulting in heavy influx of Indian professionals to USA. Most revolutionary phase of Indian emigration emerged in the late 1970s when a  large number of skilled and semiskilled Indians especially from Southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu,Karnataka and Andra Pradesh flocked into capital rich labour short Gulf Countries. Another interesting stream of emigration was that of knowledge and IT professionals  starting from 1990s were lured by countries like USA and European countries to solve the potential Y2K problem if arises which sustained further acoss Europe, Asia and even Africať,Am7gts are relatively liberal but existing geopolitical conditions and short sightedness  of policy makers and lack of clarity In objective are bound to create challenges to both home and host countries. Since 2008 India ranked first among countries recieving remittances from diaspora reaching to  $129 billion in 2024 relegating both Mexico and China  either  second or third position .

SECESSION OF THE SUCCESSFUL 

In his path breaking new work "Seccesion of tŽY with substantial income having investment in airports,automobile industry infrastructure project,Pharmaceuticals factories,and manufacturing  with wealth spread  across different cmountries.  Right after gaining independence the top Indian brains from different parts of the world were eager to return back to India inorder to participate in the development process. They include Homi Baba, Vikram Sarabhai,K.N.Raj,Sukhmoy Chakraborty, P.C. Mahalnobis, V K R V Rao etc.Moreover Mahatma Gandhi practising Lawyer abroad and Jawaharlal Nehru after studying in Cambridge University were instrumental in rebuilding the country. The national commitment of scientists like C.V.Raman,J.C Bose and engineers like M.Viseswaraya encouraged many Indians to either opt to recieve education in India or return home after acquiring overseas qualifications. Apart from getting enrolled in many foreign institutions, through 1980s and 1990s many IIT,IIS,Renowned medical college and IIM products were pulled by greater opportunities for better living and working conditions abroad.A recent estimate showed that about 75000 Indian trained doctors work in OECD countries and about 640000 Indian nurses are working abroad .In addition to that rapid increase in the number of students seeking graduate education abroad and mushrooming of coaching class for that purpose added a new dimension to students' emigration, and Indian students emigration was largely absorbed by USA,Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand. Studies have shown that compared to China,  Indian students are most likely to stay back in the host foreign country and get absorbed in their work and employment opportunities. While in Fiji Indian community had a thin majority in Mauritius Indians got a clear majority and most of them were the successors of Indentured labour.As a result of huge exodus of Indians to Gulf region started in mid 1970S  Indian Government realized the importance of Gulf migrants largely semiskilled, crafts men,drivers, technical workers ,construction workers, housemaid, nurses etc from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh whose propensity to send remittances were very high Compared to their western counter parts Hence in order tie over the Balance of Payments crisis Government and RBI introduced many reform measures in the  external sector ranging from partial convertibility of rupee in the current account,Liberalised exchange rate regime and gradually switching over to flexible exchange rate.These measures along with globalisation, Liberalisation and privatisation etc.enabled the Government to narrow down hawala transactions and increase foreign remittances through official or banking channels.As a result of the external sector reforms and increase in the numbers of Indian diaspora both highly educated professionals largely in Western countries and skilled ,less skilled and few qualified professionals in the Gulf. Gradually India emerged as the top most recipient of inward remittances in the world Since 2008 relegating both Mexico and China to backward. 

CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 

According to Sanjaya Baru while Western multinationals are spread across the globe with principal share holders and key personnel of such firms are normally nationals of the country of origin of the firm and resident in that country.But  It is a paradoxical that as against the famous "Bombay Plan" (1944)  that Chalked out by then Indian Industrialists like JRD Tata ,Birla and Lala Shriram etc.and had backed independence movement with financial support, But in the "New India" of today many members of the families of Indian big business groups are either physically located in developed countries or have acquired citizenship  overseas.High GDP growth occurred since 2003-04 and successive Governments resorting to more reforms enabled the country to have more firms,Unicorns, start ups ,Global Capacity Centers (GCCs ) etc.The Study by Morgan Stanley showed that since 2014 ,23000 billionaires left the country. Moreover many high networth Indians are purchasing citizenship through Golden Visa route in countries like USA, Portugal and Dubai, and the price for Golden Visa in USA currently amounts to $ 5million. It is observed that ten percent of the Golden Visa across countries are purchased by Indian diaspora. Recent emigration of the Indian middle class and their aspirations for citizenship abroad are induced by pull forces rather than push factors and the reasons listed were tax differentials, ease of doing business, as against differentiated approach to few crony capitalists compared to  other corporate firms who at times complaints about harassment by regulatory agencies, red tapism and non fulfillment of much publicized " ease of living "to materialise in India. In short Sanjaya Baru's Seccesion of Successful gives interesting account of Indian diaspora in general and recent trends in two kinds of successful Indians namely brainy professionals and high networth wealthy business people in particular.