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Even as he dined with the Who’s Who of America in the USA, and a few days later with the Who’s Who of the Commonwealth in Trinidad and Tobago, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spent significant moments with members of the Indian community in both countries. It was evident that the diaspora, proud of India’s new-found status in the world economic order, and the country’s leadership role in geo-politics, is keen to accelerate its efforts to establish closer ties with its motherland. It is clear that everyone is looking for a win-win situation, and the Indian side too is leaving no stone untured in making itself completely accessible to the diaspora. The PM’s interactions made it quite apparent that he was willing to remove all red-tapes when it came to the Indian diaspora.
The visit of the PM, significant in many ways to both countries, came at a crucial time—barely a month ahead of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in New Delhi in January 2010. The timing in terms of ensuring more attendance at the PBD could not have been better.
Singh’s charisma was not lost to the popular American President Barack Obama who hosted a grand presidential state dinner in his honour, the first he and Michelle Obama held for a visiting head of Government. The dinner guests, barring a gate-crashing couple, were handpicked by Obama and his team. Among those who took their positions at the tables at the White House were the most successful and sought after Indian Americans in the USA.
At an Indian American community reception hosted on November 25 by Meera Shankar, Indian Ambassador to the US, the PM described his visit as “fruitful and stimulating.” He invited PIOs to take advantage of modern technology and a flexible policy regime in India to build a true intellectual and business partnership between Indians and Americans.
“India is on the march,” he told the gathering, adding that “while the global slowdown has hurt us too, we have been able to catch our breath and move forward.” With a gross savings ratio of over 35 percent of national income, and a gross investment ratio that is almost close to 40 percent, Singh indicated that India now has the economic pre-conditions for sustained high growth.
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| The Indian PM addressing the Indian Media in the USA, the PM being received on arrival at the White House, the Indian PM and US President Barack Obama address a delegation-level meet, the PM being welcomed by the Chairman and CEO of Pepsi Co, Indra K Nooyi, and being received at the White House for a state dinner by President Obama and his wife |
Growth brings with it new challenges and new opportunities. Singh underlined India's need for investment in education and health care to build better systems in these spheres, besides modern infrastructure. More than the resources, however, it would require imagination and innovation to succeed. “People of Indian origin worldwide can contribute mightily to this effort,” was Singh’s message to the Indian-American community.
Singh allowed his easy style to play on the minds of the audience when he mentioned that over the last few years India had experienced a reverse brain-drain or brain gain. India, he said, was trying to encourage this trend by making it easier for Indian and American scholars, scientists, business leaders and other professionals to work together.
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| (On top) Meeting a member of the Indian community, (Above) A grouping of all Commonwealth leaders |
Acknowledging the contribution of the dynamic and creative community of Indian Americans to India's progress and modernization, he invited all Indian Americans and non-resident Indians to return home to India in one capacity or another. “You have given the land of your ancestors a new identity in the new world. You will be the bridge that will continue to connect our two nations and societies.”
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Later, at Trinidad and Tobago, Singh addressed the Indian community at a reception hosted by Malay Mishra, Indian High Commissioner to Port of Spain. Identifying education and business as areas of reconnecting, he asked the diaspora to be active partners in the country's development and progress by making use of investment and business opportunities.
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The PM addressing members of the Indian community as well as business leaders from India at a civic reception hosted by Indian High Commissioner Malay Mishra in Trinidad and Tobago |
He said India, whose education system was once an envy of the world. had lost ground over the last three decades and the Government’s commitment to correcting the situation was keen. There was a time in history when the Indian gurukul system and universities at Takshila, Nalanda and Nagarjuna were the envy of the world.
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With a gross savings ratio of over 35 percent of national income, and a gross investment ratio that is almost close to 40 percent, Singh indicated that India now has the economic pre-conditions for sustained high growth. |
“India is on the move and is reaching out to the world with confidence and in a spirit of live and let live. You are, for millions of Indians, the most visible symbol of our own globalization process.....For us globalization is a natural means of linking up with the international community of Indians,” he told the Indian community in this twin-island Caribbean nation where Indians had first landed as indentured workers in 1845.
Education and business are the two major areas by which India is reconnecting with the people of Indian origin worldwide, Singh mentioned. “Our ability to do so will depend on our ability to forge partnerships on the one hand, and our ability to provide a proper environment at home for the flowering of such partnerships on the other,” Singh said at the event attended by Indian-origin Ministers, MPs and business leaders of Trinidad and Tobago. “I invite you to be active partners of a new India and walk with us in finding new pathways of development and progress. I invite you to feel the love and affection of Mother India and feel the warmth of her embrace,” Singh said.
He said the cornerstone of India's interaction with its diaspora remains its shared culture—both ancient and modern. He said he’d like to see children of people of Indian origin get opportunities wherever they are living to learn classical Indian dance and music. “At the same time, we must expand modern means of satellite-based communication so that Indian film, music and television can reach your homes even though you may be distant from India physically,” he said. “As I have often said, if there is one phenomenon in the world over which the sun truly never sets, it is the phenomenon of the global community of people of Indian origin,” the Prime Minister said. Stating that the 21st century would be the century of knowledge, he said India was proud of its inheritance in this respect and overseas Indians have played an extremely important role in brand building India globally.
On evidence, the Indian Prime Minister was clearly urging the Indian diaspora in the Americas to join hands in India’s growth story. And work out a win-win.
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