The Indian Diaspora is a concept that refers to the global community of people of Indian origin or descent who reside outside of India, encompassing both Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and People of Indian Origin (PIOs). Its origin lies in historical waves of migration over hundreds of years, initially driven by indentured labor under colonization in the 19th and 20th centuries, and later by voluntary migration for professional and educational opportunities.
The primary mechanism for formal engagement is the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme, which is a registration status, not dual citizenship, introduced by amending the Citizenship Act, 1955 in August 2005. The OCI scheme was created to address the long-standing demand for a form of dual citizenship from the diaspora. Registration as an OCI grants a multiple-entry, multi-purpose lifelong visa for visiting India and provides parity with NRIs in economic, financial, and educational fields, as per Section 7B(1) of the Act, though it explicitly excludes the right to acquire agricultural or plantation properties. OCI holders are not entitled to political rights, such as voting or holding constitutional posts.
The concept connects to the annual/biennial event, Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), first celebrated in 2003 on January 9 to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa in 1915. PBD is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to strengthen ties and recognize the diaspora's contributions.
The OCI scheme has changed recently: the PIO card scheme was merged into the OCI card in 2015. Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) simplified the re-issuance process in April 2021, dispensing with the requirement to re-issue the card every time a new passport is issued. However, re-issuance is still required only once after the cardholder turns 20 years of age (if the card was obtained before 20) to capture adult facial features, and the cardholder must upload a copy of their new passport and photo online each time a new passport is issued up to age 20 and once after age 50.