India highest receiver of remittance – 70 billion $ annually
Direct Trade and Investment ( Vedanta, Essar)
Cultural Ambassadors
Role in attracticng tourism
Political and Soft Diplomacy
Prominent role of NRIs in Indo – US nuclear deal
Indian Origina Defence Minister of Canada
Bring technological and managerial expertise
Flipkart
Social Enterpreneurship
Ashoka Foundation
Helps in Nation Building
West Indies, Mauritius, Maldives, Middle East
Global Capital which benefits everyone – India being a part
S&T, Startups in Silicon Valley
India Development Foundation
A Trust
To help Channelise funds from NRIs and overseas citizen for devleopment of India
Will boost Philanthrophy
TO be headed by Foreign Minister
Foreign Secretary, Home secretary and Economics Affairs Secretary are ex-officio members
Also will have social leaders like Sri Sri Ravishankar
Issues
HIB , Brexit, Protectionism – GATS 4
Buy American, Hire American
Conflict regions
India does not have an evacuation policy – Recommend it
Indian expertise and support widely applauded in Operation Rahat and Operation Sankat Mochan in liberating people from countries like Yemen
Need for Permanent Pool of Aircrafts
Establish chain of commands
Training to Embassis and Armed Forces
Human Rights
Nitaqat, Qatar
Relationship
Hague Convention
Racial Attacks
Oz, US
Brain Drain
India ranked 89th in Global Takent Competitiveness Index
Fall of 11 places
Topped by Swiss
Currently over 1 lakh students studying in the US
Indian students largest amongst all
Total higher education in US cvalued at 20 billion $
Indian (Foreign ) students have to pay around thrice as much as locals
Easier to pay student loans by staying in the US – settle permanently
Recently schemes announced to retain gifted Masters & PhD students
Govt of India at loss which hugely subsidises education here
While West gets talented students without any training
Also gets the Income Tax
Soluions
Pacts to share part of the income tax with Indian govt for few years
Pay the subsidy in case the student leaves
Fix a quota on the no of students going out
Long term- Improve opportunities, infrastructure here
Govt can’t use draconian measures at the same time beacuse of NRI wealth, remittances,…
Green Shoots
Rachul Avasthi said brain drain in his time was more 85%
Reverse Brain Drain
Elaboration required
Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016
Minorities of Pak, Ban, Afghan
Hindus, Christians, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists,
Minorities escaping persecution from Pak, Ban will no longer be considered as illegal migrants
Under Foreigners Act, 1946 or Passport Act, 1920
Alsoreduces the period of Naturalisation to 7 years for such immigrants
Normal is 12 years
Also expands the ground for cancellation of OCI registration
If the person violates any law in the country
Pro
Chakmas, Hajongs of Bangladesh who were displaced by dam and have been refugees for 65 years will now be citizens. Cause has been raised by the apex court too
Issue
Opposition in Arunachal Pradesh – Acccuses Infringement of its culture and distortion in its political system
Issues
Article 14
Why not Rohingyas of Myanmar who are also facing persecution
We are accepting them in tunes with our philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
But, granting citizrnship is a more permanent affair, and we believe that the persecution faced by Rohingyas will not be of a permanent nature, unlike countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh, whose very foundation lie on the principles of Two Nation Theory
Tamils from Sri Lanka who are not making thes cut inspite of having lived for over 14 years
We have already granted citizenship to many Tamils, as per the accord with Sri Lanka
Case Study
More Sikhs in Canada cabinet than India
Foreign ministry’s role in Fiji
49% Indian origins
Indian Fiji govt was ousted in 1980s and Indians reduced to 2nd class citizens
India applies diplomatic pressure- got Fiji ousted from Commonwealth, pressure at UN
Finally democracy restored
Prime Minister of Mauritius
Bihari
Diaspora issues
#1: Merger of OCI, PIO
Detailed table given in M.Laxmikanth’s Polity book-chapter on citizenship page 6.5 onwards. Following, is just an overview:
OCI
PIO (Person of Indian Origin)
If you or your parents were Indian citizen once upon a time.
If your parents, grandparents or spouse were Indian citizen once upon a time.
Lifelong visa-travel.
Card Valid only for 15 years. (Modi ordinance: this visa given for life-time.)
No need to register at any office. Doesn’t matter how long you want to stay in India.
If staying beyond 180 days (6 months) in a single visit, you’ve to register Foreigners Regional Registration or Police station. (Modi ordinance: they don’t need to visit police, even if staying for long term.)
#2: Benefits of OCI card
Can do
Can’t do
A multiple entry, multi-purpose life-long visa for visiting India.
Doesn’t matter how many days/weeks/months you want to stay in India- you don’t need to register with local police.
Can’t vote
Can’t compete for parliament, Vidhan sabha elections
Can’t normally get sarkaari-naukari.
Can’t hold Constitutional posts- President, VP, SC-HC judge etc.
OCI cardholder gets all benefits given to an NRI in economic-financial-educational fields.
BUT he can’t buy agricultural land or plantation.
OCI card can be used as an ‘id-proof’ for getting
Driving license
Pan card
Bank account opening.
Pakistani or Bangladeshi can’t get OCI card.
#3: Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2014
Original Citizenship act was made in 1955, but had some lacunas. So, Home Ministry drafted this bill to fix it.
1955 Act
2014 Bill
If a person OR his parent were Indian citizens previously then he can apply for Indian citizenship…provided that he stayed in India for 1 year.
But he can’t leave India for even a single day during that 1 year period.
He can leave India for a total of 30 days.
And still, if union Government is satisfied he can get citizenship.
Defined the “overseas citizen of India”
Expanded that definition to include
Minor child of Indian citizen.
Spouse of Indian citizen
Spouse of OCI/PIO cardholder.
Great grandchildren of a person who was Indian citizen at / after commencement of Indian Constitution.
Separate provisions of OCI and PIOs.
PIO card holders get less benefits than an OCI card holder.
Merged them.
No such provision
Government can cancel the OCI-citizenship of the spouse of an OCI citizen IF
Court dissolved their marriage
Spouse married another party without divorcing from first marriage.
2014, December: Bill presented in Winter session of parliament, but could not be passed due to frequent disruptions.
2015, Jan: Modi got is implemented it through Presidential ordinance.
#4: Visa on Arrival & E-Visa
Under Home ministry, this Scheme began in 2010, reformed in 2014.
Visa on Arrival: Foreigner has to apply online (3 days before arriving to India)
When he reaches India, pays $60 fees, goes through biometric identification and gets the (Tourist) Visa.
Validity: 30 days, Cannot be renewed. He must leave after that.
Can be used only twice in a year
Electronic Travel authorization (e-Visa): announced in Budget 2014, foreigner applies online, gets visa in 5 days.
During PBD-2015, Modi announced he has given these two facilities for 43 countries.
Although, India is not the first country in world to run such scheme. Japan, Finland, Singapore et al already offer such facility.
Liberalised Remittance Scheme
Earlier there was a limit on how much money could be sent outside of India
Main reason – to check depreciation
LRS introduced in 2004 after these fears allayed
Currently forex reserves at 325 billion $, it has been enhanced to 2.5 lakh$ / person/ year
