‘We avoid engaging in Indian political conversations as things quickly get dirty’

The Indian diaspora is possibly the largest—conservatively, about 17.5 million strong (some estimates put the number at 32 million) with about six million retaining their Indian passports. Inward remittances by Indians living abroad are estimated at $78.6 billion (Global Migration Report 2020). Members of the Indian diaspora are often seen as “more successful”, and as (potential) donors, wield considerable influence back home. With their sheer numbers, they are also politically influential in their adopted countries—and are, for those reasons, wooed by politicians in those countries as well.

The diaspora has produced more than a hundred elected leaders in 25 countries, including US Vice President Kamala Harris and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. What does this cohort make of contemporary politics in India and its own role in shaping things? We poked around for some answers.

Here’s a conversation with Prof Anindya Sen who teaches at Otago University, New Zealand.

1. Increasingly HNI Indians seem to be giving up their Indian citizenship and moving abroad. Do you find this trend has accelerated and if so, what could be the reasons?

Anindya Sen: I feel this is part of the larger trend of Indians migrating abroad for more lucrative opportunities, which has been the case for the last 50 years at least. It is likely that the growing affluence of India has accelerated this trend further. For instance, many more Indians can afford to fund an undergraduate education in the US or UK as compared to 20 years ago. The migration of HNIs is possibly just the most visible tip of this iceberg.

2. Is divisive politics back home affecting Indians abroad? Is the diaspora divided on political lines?

AS: Based purely on my social media experience, political arguments between diasporic Indians have grown exponentially acrimonious since the leadup to the 2014 elections. 

A substantial portion of my friends circle now refuses to raise or engage with Indian political issues on social media to avoid getting drawn into what one of them described as a "chappal throwing competition between left and right-wing extremists".

This is a pity, as many of them are genuinely interested in, and concerned about, political and social issues in India, regardless of whether they retain their Indian passport or not.

3. Is there any change in the relationship between the diaspora and the Indian government?

AS: The Indian government does seem to have made a greater effort to engage with Indian diaspora, particularly in the US, and this gets reported often in both Indian and Western media. For instance, statistics about the success of Indians as an influential "model minority" in the US are frequently mentioned.

It's unclear to me whether this goes beyond a general exchange of pleasantries, but the acknowledgement itself is a source of pride and self-affirmation for many.

4. Are you aware of any instance of intimidation of Indians abroad or of their family members back at home?

AS: None from my personal experience. I've noticed a certain degree of paranoia about posting overly critical posts about the current government or Hindu society on social media if one has family members in India but no personal evidence of any actual harassment of a family member for these reasons.

5. Are members of the Indian diaspora at all interested in the conditions and policies back in India? What are their concerns and stakes?

AS: Certainly. In my experience, this is true even for NRIs who have surrendered their citizenship years ago. The transformation of India from BBC's favourite showcase for famines and dowry deaths to an economic powerhouse has continued to be a source of pride for the diaspora since the early 2000s.

I sense some frustration that the level of progress has been disappointing. China and India are certainly not mentioned in the same breath as in the 2000s, and the rise of the Hindu right wing is a source of concern in some sections of the diaspora, but the level of engagement and interest is high.     

6. Are there ways in which the Indian government rewards overseas Indians for helping push the official narrative?

AS: A vocal subset of the diaspora certainly does a lot of cheerleading for the current government. It's unclear to me whether that is due to the government financially rewarding or incentivizing them in any way. As I mentioned in my reply to Q3, even an “acknowledgement of success" from the home country is a source of pride and the cheerleading might be a consequence.