Why in the News?

Standing Committee on External Affairs (2024-25) released report on Indian Diaspora Overseas.

About Indian Diaspora

• Definition: They refer to those people of Indian origin who had migrated to foreign lands from India either several generations ago or in the recent past on long term Visas issued by other countries and have since settled abroad.
• Indian Diaspora includes:
  • Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs): A person who or whose any of ancestors was an Indian national and who is presently holding another country's citizenship/ nationality i.e. he/she is holding foreign passport.
  • Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs): A person registered as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder under section 7A of The Citizenship Act, 1955.
    • Note: PIO and OCI cardholders have been merged under one category OCI in 2015.
  • Non-Resident Indians (NRIs): An Indian citizen who is ordinarily residing outside India and holds an Indian Passport.
• Current Status: As of January 2024, the population of Indian Diaspora was about 35.42million (15.85 million NRIs and 19.57 million PIOs and OCIs).
• Geographical Distribution: Major countries with significant Indian populations include the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Gulf countries, Australia, South East Asia, and Caribbean.

Key-Concerns related to Indian Diaspora highlighted by the Committee

• Limited voting Rights to NRIs: As per existing norms, NRIs who have enrolled in voters list have to be present physically to cast their votes. 
  • Due to logistical and practical problems, only a few among the registered voters come down for voting.
• Transfer of Sentenced Persons from Foreign Jails: The Committee find that despite having bilateral and multilateral agreements, only 8 Indian prisoners were transferred from foreign countries to India in last 3 years.
• Professionals trapped in job Rackets: E.g., dubious firms involved in fake recruitment job offers through social media channels to South-East Asian countries (Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao PDR) to keep them as bonded labourers to carry out cybercrime.
• Re-integration of migrants: The Committee note that about 5.95 lakhs emigrants have returned to Indian from foreign countries from 2019 to 2024 due to economic disruptions, stricter immigration policies and reduction in job opportunities. 
  • National level policy on re-integration of migrant returnees is still awaited.
• Safety and security of Indian Students abroad: It is noted that 403 incidents of death of Indian students abroad have been reported from 2018 to 2024 due to natural causes, accidents and medical condition etc.

Way Forward: Recommendation of the Committee

• Voting rights to NRI: Solutions like Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System (ETPBS) can be looked into for extending the voting rights of NRIs.
• Transfer of Sentenced Persons from Foreign Jails: Amend existing agreements or create new ones to facilitate smoother repatriation of prisoners and enhance diplomatic efforts and negotiations with other countries.
• Protecting professionals from trap: Foreign employers should require Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) and MEA-attested certificates and maintain professional websites with clear contacts and employee feedback on platforms like Glassdoor or LinkedIn.
• Integration of Returnee Migrants: Kerala is the only State in India that offers economic reintegration and welfare programmes for returning migrants, which are worth emulating by other States and even other countries.
• Safety of foreign student: Evolving policy framework is needed to protect Indian students, especially in conflict-prone areas, including a real-time database of those studying abroad.
• Need to Prioritize Emigration Bill 2024:Committee have underscored the pressing need for a comprehensive legislative overhaul to replace the outdated provisions of Emigration Act 1983. Also, need to address Student Migration in the Emigration Bill.