The Indian Diaspora is one of the largest in the world. To recognise their contribution the government conducts regular events such as the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. The Indian diaspora’s interest was being placed first in India’s foreign policy which is proven with the quick evacuations from war zones during tough times. This article will explain to you about International Events related to the Indian Diaspora which will be helpful in preparing for the International Relations in UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas

• The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is a grand celebration commemorating the Indian government's engagement with the overseas Indian community.
• The main goal of this event is to reintroduce the Non-Resident Indian community to its roots.
• The Republic of India celebrates Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9 to recognise the contribution of the overseas Indian community to India's development.
• The day commemorates Mahatma Gandhi's arrival in Mumbai from South Africa on January 9, 1915.

*To know more about this, click PBD.

Bharat ko Janiye Quiz

• The Bharat ko Janiye Quiz was created in 2015-16 to increase engagement with young Indians living abroad and inspire them to learn more about their homeland.
• In 2015-16, the first edition of the online "Bharat ko Janiye" Quiz was held for young overseas Indians and foreigners aged 18 to 35.
• In 2018-19, the second edition of Bharat ko Janiye Quiz was held. The third edition of the Bharat ko Janiye Quiz 2020-21 took place virtually from September 30 to December 28, 2020.
• During the PBD convention, fifteen winners of the Bharat ko Janiye Quiz will be announced, and they will be invited on an India Tour (Bharat ko Janiye Darshan) after Covid.

Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (RPBD)

• The External Affairs Ministry has been holding Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conferences (RPBD) to reach out to the great majority of our diaspora who, for different reasons, are unable to attend and benefit from the main biennial event in India.
• This is in response to a large and consistent demand for such events to be held in the region.
• These have received tremendous support from the Indian diaspora as well as local governments, and have proven to be quite effective.
• The Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Conferences was held in Singapore in January 2018.

Evacuations made by the Indian Government

• The Indian government has organised a long list of military and civilian evacuations in Ukraine, the most recent of which is Operation Ganga.
• Indian forces have rescued hundreds of thousands of people from wars in Libya and Sierra Leone, as well as a terror attack in Europe, natural disasters in the Maldives and Nepal, and the global Covid pandemic.

Operation Ganga

• During the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Indian government launched Operation Ganga to evacuate Indian citizens who had crossed into neighbouring countries.
• To reach India, the neighbouring countries of Romania, Hungary, Poland, Moldova, and Slovakia provided transportation assistance.

Operation Samudra Setu-II

• The Indian Navy launched Operation Samudra Setu-II to bring oxygen-filled cryogenic containers from abroad to India as the country faced a severe medical oxygen shortage in the wake of a massive increase in new Covid-19 cases.

Vande Bharat (2020)

• The Vande Bharat Mission is the world's largest evacuation operation to return Indian citizens who have been stranded abroad due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions.
• It is also the largest operation to bring back Indian citizens since the early 1990s, when 177,000 Indians were evacuated from the Gulf region at the start of hostilities between Iraq and Kuwait during the first Gulf War.
• Indian citizens with compelling reasons to return – such as those whose employment has been terminated, those whose visas have expired and are not expected to be renewed under the current circumstances, and those who have recently lost family members – have been given priority by the mission.
• The government facilitated the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner under the repatriation plan.

Evacuation from Brussels (2016)

• Terrorist attacks occurred in March 2016 at Brussels Airport in Zaventem and the Maalbeek Metro station in central Brussels.
• More than 300 people were injured, including 32 civilians and three terrorists.
• In a Jet Airways flight, a total of 242 Indians, including 28 crew members, returned to India.

Operation Raahat (2015)

• A conflict erupted between the Yemeni government and the Houthi rebels in 2015.
• The Indian government found itself in a difficult situation as the country was torn apart by conflict.
• Thousands of Indians were stranded, and Yemen was cut off from the rest of the world by a Saudi-imposed no-fly zone.
• India made the decision to conduct the initial evacuation by sea.
• India rescued about 4,640 Indians stranded in Yemen over the next few weeks, as well as 960 foreign nationals from more than 41 countries.
• After evacuating nearly 5,600 people from Yemen, India's Operation Raahat came to an end.

Operation Maitri (2015)

• In the aftermath of the 2015 Nepal earthquake, the Indian government and the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Maitri, a joint relief and rescue operation.
• India was quick to respond, and the rescue operation began just 15 minutes after the earthquake.
• It was the first country to launch a comprehensive rescue and relief effort.
• Over 5,000 Indians were returned from Nepal by Air Force and civilian planes as part of a joint Army-Air Force operation.
• 170 foreign nationals from the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Germany were successfully evacuated by the Indian army.

Operation Safe Homecoming (2011)

• The Indian government launched Operation Safe Homecoming on February 26, 2011, in order to evacuate its citizens fleeing the Libyan Civil War.
• The Indian Navy and Air India were in charge of the air-sea operation.

Operation Sukoon (2006)

• When Israel and Lebanon went to war in July 2006, India launched this operation to rescue its stranded citizens, which has become known as the 'Beirut Sealift.'
• Since the 'Dunkirk' evacuation, it was the largest naval rescue mission.
• Between July 19 and August 1, 2006, the task force evacuated approximately 2,280 people, including some Nepalese and Sri Lankan nationals.

1990 Kuwait Airlift

• The royals and VIPs fled to Saudi Arabia when 1,00,000 Iraqi soldiers armed with 700 tanks marched into Kuwait in 1990.
• The general public was abandoned and left to their own attachments.
• Indians made up over 1,70,000 of those stranded in Kuwait.
• Over 1,70,000 Indians were airlifted and repatriated to India after India began the evacuation process.

Conclusion

The international events regarding the Indian diaspora has shaped the relationship between the Indian government and the people living outside the country. The Indian diaspora is second only to China in numbers and is among the most renowned in many countries contributing in different fields across the globe.