Renowned Urdu poet Muhammad Iqbal captured the sentiment behind India’s "diaspora diplomacy" in his 1904 composition when he said ‘Saare Jahaan Se Acha Hindustan Hamara.’ Whether the world revels over United States President Joe Biden’s Deepavali extravaganza at the White House or welcomes Britain’s first non-white (and Indian origin) Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, Indian 'diaspora diplomacy' has been far-reaching in more ways than one.
Proudly so, ‘We Indians are everywhere!’ In fact, according to the United Nations’ World Migration Report, India is the largest country of origin for diaspora globally. But what makes the diaspora’s presence ‘felt,’ is the role that they have played as ‘Brand Ambassadors’ for India the world over. Certainly, India’s vibrant community of disparates aids the nation’s visibility at global fora, boosts economic prosperity in the homeland through remittance earnings, and upscales foreign investments. But this community of nearly 32 million Indian-origin people has performed a multifaceted role in India’s development for centuries.