Government Endorses "Brain Drain" with New Undertaking
In the past, Indian policymakers expressed concerns about the "brain drain" - the exodus of talented Indians - seeking employment and better lives overseas. However, the current scenario sees the Indian government actively promoting the export of Indian talent and skills.
Diaspora as a National Asset
Recently, India's External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, endorsed the initiative by the GATI Foundation to position India as a global talent hub. The objective is to address international labor shortages. Yet, this move received limited media attention, possibly because the enticing prospect of overseas opportunities aligns with the aspirations of many Indians.
A Rich Legacy of Emigration
The term "gati" in Sanskrit signifies motion or progress. In this context, it mirrors the journey of skilled Indians who have quickly moved out and sought progress through emigration. The External Affairs Minister, during the GATI launch, acknowledged the existing global demand for Indian talent and the groundwork laid to facilitate their global access.
From Test-takers to Test-makers: Education and the Indian Diaspora
My recent publication, "Secession of the Successful: The Flight Out of New India," explores the changing nature of emigration from India, where the earlier anxiety about "brain drain" appears to have receded. In today's context, initiatives like GATI reflect a shift in thinking that values the export of Indian talent as an asset rather than a loss.
Coping with the Demographic Transition
The aging populations of developed economies are grappling with labor shortages. The solution seems to lie in importing skilled and semi-skilled professionals and workers from India, whose population continues to grow. The government and private sector have stepped in to facilitate this talent export.
The Desperate and the Determined
The recent surge in legal labor migration to Israel bears testimony to increased government intervention in the emigration of working-class Indians. Unemployed youth, even willing to work in conflict zones, display a palpable desperation to seek opportunities overseas.
Seeking Opportunities Abroad: Lessons from History
The motivation of today's labor migrants echoes the drive of indentured laborers who sought escape from deprivation to enter into slavery overseas in the past. Though the colonial government played a sinister role in the indenture system, the modern democratic government seeks to protect migrant workers from exploitation. Yet, the desire to improve lifestyles remains an enduring motivator.
Beyond the Conflict Zone: Expanding Horizons
Following Israel's lead, Taiwan has also commenced negotiations to recruit Indian laborers. Taiwan is willing to offer employment for 100,000 Indians at rates comparable to local workers. They seek to hire imported workers in various sectors, including manufacturing, construction, agriculture, fisheries, and household work. The GATI foundation and the government will help meet this surging demand.
[1] The expansion of H-1B visas in the U.S. has fostered a spike in Indian students and professionals acquiring specialized skills, leading to the establishment of new educational institutions in India to cater to this demand. (Source: CBS News)
- The promotion of Indian talent's export, as demonstrated by the GATI Foundation's initiative, highlights a shift in education-and-self-development policy-and-legislation, reflecting a valuing of skilled Indians as a national asset rather than a drain.
- The expansion of employment opportunities overseas, such as negotiations between India and Taiwan for the recruitment of Indian laborers, impacts politics by increasing the importance of general-news coverage on policy-and-legislation that affect international labor migration and the education-and-self-development of its citizens.
