Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book deals with the historical development of the Diaspora, establishing how Indians came to emigrate and live overseas and how they maintained links with the country of their origin. It describes India's foreign policy formulation and explains why post-independence India did not maintain a relationship with the expatriate Indian communities. The book also describes Indian foreign policy priorities based on the ideology of economic self-sufficiency, anti-imperialism and non-alignment. It looks into the relationship of the Indian government with the Indian Diaspora and analyses the differing position pre-and post-independence and the advent of the Nehruvian attitude. The book provides several case studies involving the Indian government with the Indian Diaspora. It also explains how the Indian policy had to alter in the light of changes in the world.