Indian diaspora

The Indian diaspora refers to people of Indian descent living outside of India.

This group is the largest overseas diaspora in the world. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, there are 35.4 million such people. This total includes Non-Resident Indians and People of Indian Origin. Every year, approximately 2.5 million Indians immigrate to other countries. This makes India the nation with the highest annual number of emigrants. The diaspora plays a massive role in global connections today.

To understand this group, we must look at specific legal definitions. Non-Resident Indians, or NRIs, are citizens of India living abroad. Their status is often tied to tax laws. Under the Income-tax Act of 1961, an NRI is an Indian citizen who does not meet certain residency requirements. For tax purposes, a resident must stay in India for at least 182 days in a financial year. They must also meet specific rules regarding stays over four consecutive years. Seafarers are treated differently; they keep their citizenship rights but pay tax like NRIs.

Another category is People of Indian Origin, known as PIOs. These are foreign citizens who have a direct link to India. They might have held an Indian passport in the past. Alternatively, their parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents may have been born in India. The Indian government has specific rules about which countries these individuals can come from. For example, citizens of Pakistan, Afghanistan, or China are not included in this specific PIO definition. This distinction helps the government manage different types of residency and citizenship.

Because the Constitution of India does not allow full dual citizenship, a special system exists. This is the Overseas Citizenship of India, or OCI status.

The OCI card is often called an OCI card. It is not actually a form of citizenship, despite its name. Instead, it acts as a permanent, long-term visa for visiting India. It allows holders to reside in the country with many rights. However, it does come with restrictions. OCI holders cannot vote in Indian elections or hold certain government jobs.

Historically, the movement of people from India has happened in many waves. During the Bronze Age, populations from the Indus Valley moved into Central Asia.

They settled in BMAC settlements to engage in trade. By the mid-16th century, a merchant diaspora emerged in places like Persia. These traders, including Multani people, worked as bankers and merchants. In Southeast Asia, migration occurred very early. The Chola rulers used their naval power to reach Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. This helped establish Indianised kingdoms in those regions.

During the era of British colonial rule, migration patterns changed significantly. Between 1612 and 1947, many people moved under the indenture system. These workers were often called Girmitya. They mostly came from the Bhojpuri and Awadh regions of India.

They traveled to destinations like Mauritius, Guyana, and Fiji. Other groups moved for different reasons. Gujarati and Sindhi merchants settled in the Arabian Peninsula.

Meanwhile, Punjabi and Rajasthani people moved to Australia to work as camel drivers.

In the modern era, the diaspora has become a major political and economic force. The movement of people helps India maintain strong ties with other nations. This is seen through foreign direct investment and social connections. For instance, Indian Americans helped facilitate the India–United States Civil Nuclear Agreement in 2008. The diaspora's influence is particularly strong in states like Kerala, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu. These regions have very large populations living abroad. This global presence continues to shape how India interacts with the rest of the world.