After years of promises and platitudes, the Indian Government finally seems to have got its act together in inviting the Great Indian Diaspora to be somewhat equal partners in a common enterprise. In basic diplomatic terms, that amounts to "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours". But judging by the success of the first Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) jamboree in Delhi last week, it holds the promise of plenty. More so because of the political will displayed by the A.B. Vajpayee Government in overriding objections from the Home Ministry in announcing a raft of new initiatives to sweeten the diaspora pot (see box). These include meeting the long-standing demand for dual citizenship for people of Indian origin (PIOs), albeit for certain countries only.

The fact that some 1,200 delegates from all parts of the world descended on the capital in the midst of a foggy January to interact with India's power and social elite was proof enough that there is potential for a new partnership which, if both sides stick to a common game plan without the familiar crabs-in-a-basket syndrome, can be of immense benefit to both the diaspora and India. The presence of a galaxy of luminaries lent the necessary gravitas to the occasion. Vajpayee and his senior colleagues were clearly bent on laying out the red carpet for, among others, Mauritius Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, former secretary general of the Commonwealth Shridath Ramphal, former premier of British Columbia in Canada Ujjal Dosanjh, Hong Kong's most prominent PIO and business tycoon Hari Harilela, Nobel laureate Sir Vidya Naipaul and Rajat Gupta, managing director (worldwide) of McKinsey and Co.

And why not? The advantages for India are multiple-from attracting NRI investment to forging a powerful lobby in world capitals with an emotional investment in providing a constant reminder of India's global presence to making use of their collective managerial and trading skills. If things go according to plan, this would reinstate the feeling of pride in the mother country without which nothing can really move forward. The flip side is equally attractive: NRIs need new opportunities to invest and, like the Chinese expats, would prefer that to be in the country of their origin if the process and procedures are free from existing bottlenecks. PIOs are also worried about the cultural identity of their children and, above all, have a major stake in making expatriate Indians feel proud of their country of origin and its achievements.

The flurry of PBD business sessions at Pragati Maidan, cocktail parties, musical soirees and cultural extravaganza at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium-where diaspora performers Kries Ramkhelawan, Trilok Gurtu, Isha Sherwani, Vikku Vinayakram and Malkit Singh took centrestage-provided some evidence that the initiative was worth the effort.

However, it was the announcement of allowing dual citizenship to applicants from seven countries that really enthused the gathering. The diaspora has, at various forums, been pleading with the Government to allow dual citizenship. The demand became more vocal after economic reforms were kicked off in India in 1991. Yet, successive governments refused to commit themselves on an issue they believed required a constitutional amendment. Instead, a few years ago, the government offered a PIO card scheme that entitled visa-free travel to India for 20 years as well as other facilities. But the card was priced too high and the scheme was unsuccessful.

It was only after Vajpayee set up the High Level Committee on the Indian Diaspora in 2000 under L.M. Singhvi that the demand was given serious thought. The committee came up with the solution that dual citizenship could be granted without a constitutional amendment merely by making a change in the Citizenship Act, 1955.

Roping them in Isha Sherwani's troupe performs a rope trick

"It is an idea whose time has come," says Singhvi, who spearheaded a number of recommendations for a comprehensive government policy on the 20 million-strong NRI community that lives abroad and earns about $300 billion (Rs 14,400 billion) a year.

Though the legislation is still to be debated in the budget session of Parliament, the announcement raised optimism about the future of a partnership with the diaspora. "For those who are granted dual citizenship it will be a feeling of coming back home," says Bhishma K. Agnihotri, India's NRI/PIO ambassador-at-large. However, in the US, Agnihotri's backyard, unseemly faction fighting between rival camps in the Overseas Friends of BJP saw a section boycott the celebrations.

For the discerning diaspora, the outcome of the divas worked both ways. Manu Chandaria, head of the Nairobi-based Comcraft Group and one of the winners of the PBD awards, is happy that India has given the first push to the initiative. "There has to be a push and a pull. And it is now up to us, the diaspora, to pull hard," he says. The move has also instilled a new-found confidence in the overseas Indian. "This," says Chandaria, "is India's way of saying, 'We like you, we want you'. Now that we know it, we will help India emerge stronger."

Dual citizenship will be granted to applicants from countries which already have such a concept. This will allow the holder to visit India at will without a visa and allow investments in property. He can avail of all the rights that an Indian citizen has, except the right to vote. Security concerns prevent the offer being extended to other countries for now. J.C. Sharma, secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, says, "The acceptance of the demand for dual citizenship sends the message that we are open to suggestions and are willing to accommodate NRIs."

That message is hitting home in different ways. "For the first time, the Indian Government is looking outward," says Karan Bilimoria of the famed Cobra Beer breweries of UK. "But we need to go beyond talking." He should know. The 41-year-old entrepreneur borrowed £20,000 (Rs 15 lakh) to set up his brewery in England. "I could do it because of the genuine free market there. I have been trying to set up a brewery in India and I have the capital. But there is so much red tape, regulation."

Bilimoria has an example on hand. He set up an exhibition stall at the event and was seeking permission to serve samples of the beer to visitors. The permission never came through. Now he has a stall where he is not even allowed to display his product "in spite of the fact that the bottle shows a map of India".

But publicity has never been India's strong point and the Indian community abroad has often cringed in embarrassment. "The image of India in the US is not bad, but it is negative," says Benzione Jacob, a Jew from Mumbai who left Indian shores at the age of 12 to "help build Israel". "That is because it remains behind closed doors. It is not investing in public relations." Yet, this "visionary artist" now settled in Houston, Texas, is excited at being back in India after 44 years. "When I landed in India, I was in total vibration," he declares.

But pragmatic voices such as Professor Bhikhu Parekh from the House of Lords, the UK, urge caution. "Lasting relationships are not built on 'love and sentiments'," he warns, adding that any exchange has to be between the people (and not government) of India and the diaspora. "It has to be a dialogue among equals. Lasting relationships are built on a realistic assessment of expectations on both sides," he says.

There is also the danger of meeting, passing resolutions and then forgetting everything about it. "There has to be an institutional space within the Indian government to regularly debate issues of common concern," Parekh emphasises. Today those issues may be economic; tomorrow, it could be political representation in the world.

There is now a sea change in India's view of the first wave of professional emigrants in the 1960s and 1970s as "the brain drain" and making NRIs feel they are "not required Indians". Now the NRI is referred to as the "national reserve of India". With the kick off of annual PBD celebrations, the Government has extended a hand to the diaspora, which the expatriates are only too eager to grasp. But unless an effective mechanism is put into place to implement the proposed policy towards the diaspora and space is created for regular debate on diasporic issues, little is likely to materialise from the gargantuan effort that went into making the first celebrations happen.

-with Shilpa Rohatgi

	"India will benefit from the increased participation of NRIs." Purnima Voria, President, Glimpse of India, US		"Its closed doors give a negative image to the country." Benzione Jacob, Artist, US
	"The nation is looking outward but we need to go beyond talking." Karan Bilimoria, Proprietor, Cobra Beer, UK		"The new generation of Ugandans feels it is better off without us." Jaishree Patel, Entrepreneur, Uganda
	"The expatriates are being tapped for their affluence." Mahandran Raj, Media executive, Malaysia		"Everything starts with emotions and sentiments." Monjuula S. Sooresh, Managing consultant, Oman
	"Indians can extract blood from stone. It's the diasporic effect." A.M.A. Karim Vakil, CEO, Banco Efisa, Portugal		"Why have dual citizenship when there is a PIO card?" Bharat Kumar Shah, Businessman, Dubai