ABSTRACT
In many countries, the diaspora is playing an important and constructive role in the economic development of their homelands. The diaspora has the ability to sponsor nefarious activities that may threaten national security and can also fund communalist organisations impinging on the social fabric. This chapter focuses on some aspects of the existing diaspora– homeland relations with special reference to the Indian diaspora in general and the Punjabi/Sikh diaspora in particular. After a brief assessment of the emergence and geographical spread of Indian and Punjabi diaspora communities, the chapter focuses on the nature of diaspora–homeland links and how these can be strengthened and harnessed to increase the diaspora’s potential role in aiding the development process, especially in Punjab. The continuing perception of Punjab as a state with poor governance, lacking in transparency and having a meddlesome bureaucracy means that potential diaspora based investments shy away.
