From Long-Distance to Economic Nationalism: India’s Diaspora Politics

Abstract

Based on the vast empirical material of India’s diaspora policy, which is understudied in the Russian academic field, the authors of the research enrich the scope of works dealing with the analysis of diasporas as non-state actors in the world politics. The study analyzes the institutionalization of India’s diaspora policy between 1999 and 2015, particularly the amendments to the citizenship legislation and electoral legislation, the establishment and reforms of specialized ministries, governmental structures and funds, introducing special celebration days. The study is based on neo-institutional analysis and reveals the sequence of actions of Indian governments that lead to the transformation of informal norms for the implementation of diaspora policies. Authors argue that shaping such infrastructure aimed at reviving the ties between emigrants and their country of origin, as well as involving emigrants into building a nation-state might be perceived as “long-distance nationalism”. Having analyzed the economic dimension of India’s diaspora policy, particularly the economic liberalization measures aimed at stimulating diaspora investment inflow, bilateral agreements on expatriates’ economic condition as well as emitting diaspora obligations the authors conclude that not only has India provided its diaspora with the access to funding households’ consumption and sporadic local projects, but also it has let the diaspora ensure the country’s macroeconomic stability, which is uncharacteristic of relations between diasporas and their countries of origin. The study also elaborates on the directions in which India’s diaspora policy has changed since N. Modi came to power. The authors come to the conclusion that since then diaspora policy has been losing its autonomy and has been reduced to accomplishing separate foreign and investment policy tasks. Thus, a major trend in India’s diaspora policy is the transition from “long-distance nationalism” practices to economic nationalism that implies a direct link between affiliation with a diaspora community and contribution to the development of the country of origin.

Keywords

• diaspora policy
• indian diaspora
• long-distance nationalism
• economic nationalism
• non-state actors