Grand Strategy | Indian-origin leaders abroad: Feel-good stories don’t help national interests
Indians have done well abroad. But, a reality check is important. Sometimes, the presence of a diverse diaspora abroad can hurt India’s national interests
We tend to get overjoyed when non-resident Indians (NRIs) or persons of Indian origin (PIOs) do well overseas or assume political offices. From former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to incumbent US Vice President Kamala Harris to Usha Vance, the wife of the Republican vice presidential candidate, people of Indian origin (half or full) have been increasingly occupying political posts aboard or are getting close to political power. Not just in the corridors of power, NRIs/PIOs are also top CEOs around the world — Google, Microsoft, YouTube, World Bank, IBM, Adobe, Starbucks, Chanel, etc. As a matter of fact, beyond the world of politics and executive roles, Indians, in general, have done well abroad. The average annual household income of Indians based in the US is more than double that of the overall American population, statistics indicate. So there is reason to celebrate, no doubt.
But some reality check is important here. First of all, these feel-good stories have little consequence for India’s national interests. Secondly, there is a reality beyond the good news. Sometimes, the presence of a diverse diaspora abroad can have a harmful impact on India’s national interests. It is therefore important to have a nuanced view of this complex situation.
A little background
Let’s remember that, for the most part, we have only recently started caring for overseas people of Indian origin. During the Independence movement, there was a lot of focus on Indian workers taken to various parts of the world by the colonial masters or Indian-origin people facing racial discrimination in places like South Africa. After India attained Independence in 1947, the national focus shifted away from Indians abroad. The migration of Indian labourers to West Asia in the wake of the oil boom was only noticed because of the remittances they sent home. In fact, it was not until the dawn of the 21st century that India started proactively engaging the Indian diaspora abroad. The rediscovery of the Indian diaspora by the Indian state is a function of India’s rising international stature as well as the growing influence of Indians in their host countries.
Globally, the Indian diaspora has two major components: NRIs, who still retain their Indian passports, and PIOs, who opted for foreign citizenship post-migration. The strength of the Indian diaspora is approximately 32 million, of whom 18 million are NRIs.
How the diaspora soft power works
Apart from the remittances India receives from its diaspora (which according to the World Bank was $89 billion in FY 2021-22), there are at least three types of influence that the Indian diaspora has on their host country: Attitudinal, political and intellectual. In countries which have large numbers of affluent and powerful ‘Indians’, the attitude towards India may be positive and they are often viewed distinctly from other members of the South Asian diaspora. Perceptions create lasting attitudes. The Indian diaspora’s presence in foreign countries, along with their cuisine, culture, civilization, and history rooted in Indian traditions, influences the host country’s popular outlook towards India. Secondly, Indians based abroad are also able to lobby for India’s interests directly or indirectly, sometimes through parliamentary/Congressional caucuses or other pressure groups. Such lobbying and general goodwill could create a deep social-political background which can be tapped into by Indian negotiators while dealing with their counterparts. Thirdly, the Indian-origin intellectual class based in a foreign country could potentially influence the host country’s general views about India in a positive manner.
Limits of soft power
That said, there are also inherent limitations in how such soft power works. The ability of such soft power or ‘desi connections’ to produce foreign policy outcomes overseas favourable to India’s national interest is more limited than generally assumed.
For one, Indian-origin officials and politicians in a foreign country work in the interests of their host country, not India. That’s the job. But more so, given their ‘foreign origin’, they wouldn’t want to be seen as favouring a foreign nation. Sometimes it could even work to India’s disadvantage. Some Indian-origin officials have in the past been more ruthless towards Indians than their compatriot officials without an Indian connection.
Secondly, the Indian diaspora could potentially trigger a perverse cultural effect on India. Members of the diaspora, especially those whose families migrated overseas generations ago, may have views and ideas about India which are disconnected from contemporary realities. Such nostalgic and romanticised views about India — seeing India as Gandhi’s/Buddha’s land of peace, land of spirituality, uniform civilisation etc. — could create unrealistic expectations in the minds of India’s foreign interlocutors. Third, while there are indeed gains for India from the work of diaspora intellectuals, it would be simplistic to assume that the ability, willingness and desire of such intellectuals to create conditions for the promotion of India’s interests can be taken for granted or would uncritically favour India. That is certainly not how intellectuals function.
The other side of the story
Let’s extend this line of argumentation a bit more. There is a popular urban myth that Indian-origin politicians and officials abroad will help India’s national interests by swaying their country’s policy in India's favour. This is far from the truth. They will only protect their adopted country’s national interest – period. Not only that they might not be able to help India’s national interest, but they may even harm them. Consider the following.
There are at least three ways in which the presence of Indian-origin politicians and officials overseas can negatively affect India’s national interest. First, diasporic communities with dynamic links and parochial interests with Indian political formations/parties can use their monetary contributions, ideological support, and foreign connections to influence domestic politics in India. Second, Indian origin people with long-standing community grievances can turn the host country’s policy against India. Certain Khalistani organisations based abroad are a good example. Finally, if we seek to use our diaspora to influence a foreign country’s policies, we should be prepared for the eventuality in which diasporic groups or foreign governments could use such linkages to promote their own interests in India.
Happymon Jacob teaches at JNU, and is the founder of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research, a New Delhi-based think tank. The views expressed are personal