Diaspora Knowledge Network

India moots online global knowledge network CIOL
R Jai Krishna

The electronic platform to enable the Indian Diaspora to work on projects in the country without relocating

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Aimed at enabling the diverse Diaspora to work on projects in India without having to relocate, the Indian government will soon launch an electronic platform, which will serve as an online global knowledge network. The Diaspora Knowledge Network will enable the Indian Diaspora to deploy its knowledge and skills and transform ideas into individual initiatives and community action in India. The platform will enable the Diaspora to work on projects in India without shifting the base. The government will also soon establish a Global Indian Foundation, to provide the Overseas Indian Community a credible window to lead Diaspora philanthropy into deserving causes such as education, health and rural development in India. The Overseas Citizenship of India scheme, which is similar to the Green Card of USA, engages non-resident Indians.The newly-established Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre, a not-for-profit trust, promoted by the ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs will also act as the Diaspora’s window to invest in and benefit from India, and will serve as a ‘one stop shop.’The network will bring together about 30 million Indians living in 130 countries across the world. The move assumes added significance in the wake of the estimations that Diaspora will be generate an annual income equal to about 30 per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product. At present, Indians living abroad produce an economic output of about $400 billion. The Diaspora is estimated to generate an annual income equal to about 30 per cent of India’s GDP. India is already the highest recipient of remittances from overseas at over $23 billion last year. Interestingly nearly half of these remittances – about $12 billion annually - comes from just five million overseas Indians in the Gulf.