18 January 2025 : Daily Answer Writing

Q1) Bring out the role played by the Indian diaspora as a formidable force in shaping the political and economic narratives of both the United States and Europe. (150 Words/10 Marks)

Answer:

The Indian diaspora has become a significant force in shaping the political and economic narratives of both the United States and Europe. Their influence can be attributed to various factors including their growing numbers, economic success, and active political engagement.

Role Played by Indian Diaspora:

1. Active role in representative politics:

a. Indian-Americans have achieved prominent positions in US politics [e.g. Kamala Harris, the first female Vice President, and other members of Congress such as Pramila Jayapal, Ro Khanna, and Raja Krishnamoorthi];

b. In Europe, particularly in the UK, the Indian diaspora has made significant inroads [e.g. Rishi Sunak served as PM of UK from 2022 to 2024]; 26 Indian-origin MPs elected to UK parliament recently]; Antonio Costa [former PM of Portugal]

2. Policy Advocacy:

a. Indian-Americans have formed influential advocacy groups such as the US India Political Action Committee (USINPAC) and the Indian American Impact Fund;

b. in Europe, organizations like the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) work towards strengthening the voice of Indians.

3. Business Leaders: (a) Indian-Americans are well-represented in the fields of technology and innovation [such as Sundar Pichai (Google), Satya Nadella (Microsoft), and Arvind Krishna (IBM)]; (b) Indian-Americans founded or co-founded around 15% of Silicon Valley start-ups; (c) Indian diaspora in the UK runs about 65,000 businesses.

4. Economic Clout: (a) household income of Indian-Americans is double that of US median household income; (b) In 2023, India received $125 billion in remittances with USA and Europe being among the top contributors [World Bank Report].

5. Social Clout: (a) Indian-Americans and Europeans of Indian descent are involved in academia and research, contributing to the intellectual and cultural landscape; (b) 75% of Indian-Americans hold bachelor’s degree [compared 33% of overall US population]; (c) organizations like the American India Foundation (AIF) have raised millions for various social causes; (d) in the UK, organizations such as the India League and the Indian Workers Association have a long history of social activism.

Associated Issues or Challenges:

1. Political: (a) Increasing intolerance and hate crimes based on race [FBI reported 12% increase in hate crimes against South Asians] (b) representation of the Indian diaspora in politics is still limited compared to their population size; (c) internal divides within the diaspora based on regional, religious, and cultural lines; (d) stringent immigration + visa policies can hinder the diaspora’s ability to move, work, and settle.

2. Socio-Economic: (a) 8% of Indian-Americans live in poverty [Pew Research Centre]; (b) in UK, 14% of Indian-origin households experiencing relative poverty; (c) people in lower-skilled jobs facing exploitation + poor working conditions – Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) documented cases of wage theft and labour rights violations among Indian workers; (d) 45% Indian-Americans reported experiencing difficulties balancing their Indian and American identities [Pew Research]; (e) in UK, 30% expressed concerns about maintaining their cultural identity.

For more such UPSC related Mains Answer Writing, Check Out 17 Januray 2025 : Daily Answer Writing