Outreach to diaspora groups around the world is a key plank of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy, which experts argue have multiple goals including raising India’s international profile and stimulating pride in India’s cultural identity.
Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas gives another opportunity to the government of India in celebrating the connection with Indian diaspora all around the world and setting the agenda for the remaining year.
The occasion is marked by special programs to recognise the contributions of NRI/PIO (Non-Resident Indians/People of Indian Origin) individuals of exceptional merit, felicitate individuals who have made exceptional contributions in their chosen field/profession and provide a forum to discuss issues and concerns of people of the diaspora.
It’s not an insignificant fact that while many governments around the world slowly crawl back to normal action so early in the New Year, the government of India begins the new year with high octane and emotionally charged outreach to its global diaspora through the celebrations of Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas.
Since 2003 India has been celebrating Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas as a celebratory day observed annually on January 9, (now changed to the biennial event) to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community towards the development of India.
Although the choice of celebrating Pravasiaya Bhartiya Diwas so early in the new year on January 9 was purely descended on it as an arbitrary choice to commemorate the return of Mahatma Gandhi, inarguably the greatest of the non resident Indian from South Africa to Mumbai in 1915, but by celebrating so early in the new year set the agenda for the government, at least for the current government in New Delhi, to reinforce its connection with the diaspora throughout the remaining year.
Indian diaspora of New Zealand well represented in Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas
The Indian diaspora in New Zealand can take pride and satisfaction from the fact that it would be well represented in the government of India’s, now biennial event of the Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas.
This year three Kiwi-Indian MPs viz. National Party’s Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Dr Parmjeet Parmar, and Labour Party’s Priyanca Radhakrishnan along with Mayor of Kapiti Coast, K. Gurunathan are participating in the first ever People of the Indian Origin parliamentary conference, being organised by the Government of India on January 9-10.
The High Commission of India, Wellington confirmed the attendance of these Kiwi-Indian political leaders through a press release at the beginning of this year on January 3.
“This conference, the first of its kind, is yet another recognition of the contribution made by the Indian diaspora to both countries of their origin as well as to the country of their residence,” the press release from the High Commission said.
“Government of India deeply appreciates the role played by the Indian diaspora in NZ in building friendship between India and NZ as well as between the peoples of the two countries,” the press release further adds.
Merging Act East with outreach to diaspora: Singapore hosts regional Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific region, a region of which India and New Zealand constitute two far ends, and that binds the two nations to a common destiny, Singapore hosted a mini or regional Pravasiya Bhartiya Diwas from January 6-8 this week.
The event was planned to coincide with the 25th anniversary of India’s partnership with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) – the ten-member regional block and economic powerhouse that underpins India’s whole vision towards East.
Indian Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj with Retno Marsudi Foreign Minister of Indonesia
India has repeatedly maintained that ASEAN is central to its entire vision and approach towards the global East (a region now loosely evolving as the Indo-Pacific region).
Opening address at ASEAN India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas by EAM Smt Sushma Swaraj
This was once again reaffirmed by none other than India’s Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, who is attending the event in Singapore after visiting Thailand and Indonesia as a part of the three-nation tour in the region.
"For India, ASEAN leadership and centrality is essential for peace and prosperity for the rapidly changing Indo-Pacific region," Ms Swaraj affirmed during the opening address of the ASEAN- India Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on Sunday, January 7.
Indeed, this is an astute demonstration of merging of two ambitious foreign policy goals of Act East and outreach to global diaspora by the current government in New Delhi.
Encouragement to Indian diaspora in New Zealand
However, probably the single most important take away for the Kiwi-Indian community in NZ from these celebrations is that its importance is destined to rise in the larger scheme of things between India and New Zealand.
The current Indian government seems to be inexorably committed to advance its geo-strategic goals in the global East; a region loosely reflecting the fast-evolving Indo-Pacific region, with the help of its diaspora in the region.
The year has already begun with India’s Minister of External Affairs tour of ASEAN region and an impending visit from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Singapore later in June this year.
Prime Minister Modi will be speaking at the high-profile IISS Shangri-La Dialogue – the Asia-Pacific's premier defence summit, a unique meeting of ministers and delegates from over 50 countries.
Given, the current Indian government’s desire to Act East and connect with the diaspora, a high profile visit from India to New Zealand is highly expected in the near future.
Such a visit, whenever happens, would not only re-ignite the bilateral relations between the two countries but will also fulfil a long felt expectations within the Kiwi-Indian community.
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