Dr Rao VBJ Chelikani
Recently, in Indian Parliament, the Administration disclosed that approximately 10,152 Indian nationals are currently imprisoned abroad, mostly in Gulf countries, as of March 2025. It is important to note that this figure includes only Indian passport holders in a few countries and reflects those cases officially reported to Indian embassies. The actual numbers may be still higher. During a UN assignment in Singapore in the 1990s, I had the opportunity to visit several correctional facilities. My personal impression based purely on my observation was that individuals of Indian origin appeared to be present in relatively higher numbers among the inmates I saw. However, one should admit that particularly Singapore policymakers make great efforts to maintain racial equality. Outside of certain regions in Asia and the Gulf, the number of Indians in prisons in most other countries is generally very small. Considering the millions of Indians who live, study, and work abroad, the proportion of those who violate the laws of their host countries is, in fact, exceedingly limited, though not negligible.
Historically, apart from the indentured laborers who were exported during colonial times, it was primarily merchant families who migrated abroad and built successful communities. Currently the young professionals who migrate to improve their skills and earn through hard work, often surpassing local competition. These efforts helped establish prosperous Indian enclaves in Africa, the Caribbean, and various island nations. However, such communities have often maintained social exclusivity, preserving their traditions and celebrations in isolation from the host society for generations. Ministers and local officials in several African nations, in informal conversations, have remarked, without animosity, that Indian business networks often count on managing and influencing local bureaucratic or political authorities to their advantage. This has reinforced the perception that Indians prefer to live in economic ghettos, maintaining distance from the local population.
Another important phenomenon is the discrimination and hostility faced by Indians abroad. During the 1980s, I was assigned to visit Indian-origin victims of riots that took place in Madagascar. One shop owner, whose store had been completely looted during clashes between police and local residents, told me calmly that the event was unfortunate but not catastrophic; he would recover over time. His greatest relief was that the rioters had not harmed his family upstairs. This attitude of resilience and pragmatism is also seen among Chinese immigrant communities, who often respond to adversity with similar composure and patience.
In European societies, generous yet deeply rooted in their cultural norms, Indian communities tend to remain socially insular for the first two generations. A former president of the French Republic once told me in a detached manner and with no malice intended that in his early days, he had to move away from his apartment in a building because of the strong 'masaala‘ smells constantly coming from his neighbour family and the regular sights of blood oozing out of a dying goat. However, by the third generation, the Indian children often get integrated into the host society‘s way of life. In contrast, in the United States, integration occurs much earlier. The second generation typically assimilates rapidly, reflecting the American ethos of diversity and the shared ambition for success and achievements.
In earlier decades, when travel and communication were slow, the Indian Diaspora lived in isolation, holding onto cultural practices long abandoned in India. While they prospered economically, they often remained culturally detached from both India‘s evolving identity and their host countries‘ social fabric. Many nationalist Africans, observing this detachment, have even accused Indians, more than the Europeans of being racially exclusive.
India‘s role as the country of origin remained limited for much of this period, the bureaucratic embassies focusing mainly on consular functions. Government of India does not endorse Indians abroad to get into UN and other international organizations. However, the situation has changed. Today, Indians travel abroad in far greater numbers for education, tourism, and employment, and their remittances form a crucial part of India‘s foreign exchange earnings. Indian tourists are welcomed in many countries as their spending capacity is increasing.
Foreigners in India: Yet, within India itself, a policy of double standard persists. Foreigners visiting India often face bureaucratic hurdles, limited facilities, and limited opportunities, despite contributing economically or culturally. The legal and administrative framework remains largely unchanged since the 1950s, still reflecting postcolonial rigidity. The reason advanced is that we have the threat of cross-border migration from neighbouring countries with which we still have unresolved border disputes.
There are many situations where foreigners who love India feel that they do not get enough freedom and opportunities in India due to bureaucratic hassles. Firstly, the employment visa norms are very discouraging. Indian companies and startups rarely hire foreigners because legal compliance is complex. Employment visas require a minimum annual salary (often higher than what many Indian firms offer), and the visas are rarely granted for roles that can be technically filled by Indians. Further, many professionals in India do not like foreigners to come down and compete with them in their captured market areas. Secondly, foreign nationals are not eligible for government jobs in civil services and public-sector undertakings. Thirdly, even for foreign direct investment (FDI), foreigners face complicated regulatory processes, difficulty in opening bank accounts without long-term visas, restrictions in sectors like retail trade or agriculture, and delays in company registration and compliance due to foreign documentation. Fourthly, foreign students face problems of limited seats reserved under NRI/foreign quotas, restricted access to government-funded scholarships, and fewer research grants compared to domestic candidates. Fifthly, many foreigners report difficulties in renting property due to landlord bias or mistrust, extra documentation requirements like police verification and FRRO rules, and restrictions on buying immovable property. Sixthly, when a foreign social worker wants to join an Indian NGO full-time, NGOs in India face strict rules under the FCRA (Foreign Contribution Regulation Act), restrictions on hiring foreign nationals for field roles, and difficulty sponsoring employment visas.
We are thereby depriving Indian society of the new stimulation much needed from cross-cultural exchanges to modernise the Indian way of life.
Our External Relations: In recent years, Indian political leaders have begun to regard the Indian diaspora as a strategic national and political asset abroad. Prime Ministers and senior officials now routinely meet with diaspora groups during their foreign visits. While this enhances their visibility as a distinct group of Indians in a foreign land, it is not in their interest, as it produces unintended consequences. Such overt recognition may hinder the full integration of Indian communities into their host societies, as they become seen as politically party-wise and leaderwise aligned with Indian politics rather than as part of the local fabric. Consequently, host countries may adjust from time to time their treatment of Indian immigrants depending on the state of bilateral political and diplomatic relations with India. It is visible today in the case of the USA.
Now, India‘s foreign policy should move, no doubt, beyond mere government-to-government and political leader–to–political leader good relations, to people-to-people relations. But presenting and recognizing Indians wherever they might be as a distinct national minority, and appearing to protect them through diplomatic channels, is not conducive either to their integration into the host society or to the promotion of an emerging global society. Leaders change frequently, but people-to-people connections influence millions of students, tourists, business people, and artists, creating a much wider base of mutual understanding and reducing the likelihood of conflict. Citizen-level interactions drive trade, innovation, tourism, and academic and scientific collaboration. These bottom-up connections generate tangible benefits that can outlast or outweigh political gestures between leaders. Ordinary people form perceptions of cooperation, solidarity, and peaceful co-existence. Positive encounters between citizens foster genuine trust and empathy, which are harder to achieve through official protocols. When political relations sour, strong societal connections act as a buffer. Cultural exchanges, Diaspora links, twin-city partnerships, and educational programs help maintain communication and prevent complete breakdowns and wars.
Indira Gandhi often urged the Indian diaspora to integrate themselves wholeheartedly into their host countries while retaining pride in their origins, a message that remains profoundly relevant today. Yes, people in India and their civil societies should maintain close contacts and communications with their counterparts in other countries. We can even accept and let happen that some Indian immigrants might be tempted to preserve or assert their distinct identity with nostalgia, sometimes in defensive or even aggressive ways. However, we should realise that such negative reactions on the part of some immigrant communities from other developing countries are, at present, leading to racial, religious, and terrorizing conflicts and mutual hatred in some European societies. Such situations are provoking conservative right-wing reactions among natives who fear losing their own cultural dominance and are resulting in rightist parties getting elected in European countries. That is how we hear about innocent Indians being attacked here and there. The election of Donald Trump in the USA could be explained as an example.
Given that large-scale, unskilled emigration is increasingly unlikely today, migration pathways need to be diversified toward a wider range of countries. Prospective emigrants should undergo adequate mental and physical preparation to ensure a safe and smooth transition. At the same time, host countries, unlike in the past, are now assessing their capacity to absorb newcomers primarily through economic indicators and stricter expectations regarding cultural integration. In many places, including the United States, authorities are moving away from prolonged detention and are instead deporting irregular or undocumented migrants. In this context, the Government of India should be more proactive and supportive in facilitating the voluntary and orderly return of its citizens.
Towards Bi-culturalism:
In the increasingly interdependent global environment, countries are committed to upholding fundamental human rights and adopting cultural relativism. The immigrant should be consciously aware of the current cultural practices of his own religion and culture of origin, which are in constant evolution, and adopt the best of them in the host country as a strictly private matter, in a nonoffensive, non-confrontationist, and nonexhibitionist way. The other dimension is that he or she should make efforts to grasp the spirit of the host country‘s culture and its expressions and learn and adopt some of them not only for personal enrichment and accomplishment but also to have harmonious social relations. Many countries that welcome immigrants are thinking of giving courses of cultural initiation in the host country‘s culture and language. Such dual awareness fosters mutual respect and enriches personal identity also.
Very often, out of inferiority complex, immigrants become aggressive and oversensitive about the treatment they receive from the natives. Very often, the unsuccessful immigrants, as in the case of many immigrants of developing countries, appear to be parasitic, enjoying the very generous welfare schemes offered in advanced societies. Or some immigrants, forced by circumstances, indulge in anti-social and criminal activities like drug trafficking, human trafficking, and other crimes. While this is so in European countries, in some other countries in Africa and in Latin America the Indians are known to be living in ivory towers. Only in North American countries do they behave naturally, giving their very best to society.
Another aspect of integration that needs to be further strengthened is the assumption of social responsibility in the host society. Whether as students, professionals, or entrepreneurs, Indians abroad should observe and learn local customs, such as communication styles, workplace expectations, and social courtesies, thereby showing respect for colleagues in the host society. Using libraries, community centers, healthcare systems, and educational programs help immigrants to navigate the country more effectively and feel more anchored in its systems. Every transaction, commercial, professional, or personal, should serve a triple purpose: advancing one‘s own interest, respecting the other party‘s welfare, and contributing to the broader social good. However, their association with narrowly defined ethnic or religious groups or a political party may only reinforce division rather than unity. Joining local clubs, volunteering, attending cultural events, or engaging in neighborhood Resident Welfare Associations foster a sense of belonging and create natural opportunities to form friendships. Beyond economic engagement, their participation in local civic or humanitarian organisations, and if possible those linked to international or UN-related initiatives, can demonstrate their true integration and solidarity.
On the whole, and in general, all over the world, Indians are perceived to be by temperament tolerant, flexible, gentle, adaptable, hard-working, open to learning, and keen to improve their standards of life and to live peacefully. Ultimately, we appeal to all Indians abroad that as ideal Indian, they should be a locally integrated, socially responsible, and culturally balanced global citizen and contribute to both India‘s image, the host nation‘s wealth, and to the progress of humanity as a whole.
Image: M Sherbiny on Unsplash
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