India is looking to amend the Emigration Act of 1983 as part of broader efforts to meet the demands of the global workplace and promote legal mobility, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday. He said it is vital that India promotes legal mobility and prohibits non-legal ones.
The external affairs minister was speaking at an event marking the launch of the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation.
"There is naturally the issue of how we adjust to the demands of the global workplace to optimise benefits," he said.
"Conceptually, it is vital that we promote legal mobility and strongly discourage, I would argue even prohibit, non-legal ones," he said.
Jaishankar said the challenge of the "black economy" has to be faced, from the viewpoint of the talent flow, societal good as well as of national security.
"Currently, mobility is largely regulated by the Emigration Act 1983, which was designed to address the demands of a particular geography in a certain era," he said.
"However, times have changed and our vistas have expanded. We need to be more promotional and aware of new possibilities, even while taking care of the vulnerable," he said.
This issue is currently being examined by the government, he added.
Jaishankar said the government has taken a range of steps to give Indian citizens the "confidence to fully explore the global workplace".
These steps include the ability to carry out evacuation operations, and measures to back up nationals in difficult situations such as the replacement passports, payment of wages or preventing mistreatment by foreign employers, or ensuring the rights of Indians abroad.
"From establishing an effective grievance portal to creating a responsive fund for the needs of the vulnerable, we have sought to institutionalised...taking care of Indians abroad," he said.
Jaishankar said there are currently about 34 million Indians and people of Indian origin living and working abroad, and about half of them are Indian citizens. About a third are located in West Asia and the rest are spread across mostly developed economies.
Global professions such as seafaring, airlines and the hospitality sector have already tapped into India's human resources pool at a significant level and economies like Australia and Germany have seen a significant increase of working Indians in the past few years, he said.
"Economies like Australia or Germany have seen a significant increase of working Indians in the last few years," he said.
"Through migration and mobility partnerships as well as specialized skilled workers agreements with 22 nations, we have created a pathway as well as a brand," he added.
Jaishankar said India's talents and skills will be very much part of "our branding" and a more interdependent and technology-driven world will put a greater premium on it.
He also said that foreign investment, collaboration and trade will play a key role in accelerating manufacturing, development of technology, optimisation of agriculture and food processing, and digital and AI issues.
The external affairs minister was speaking at an event marking the launch of the Global Access to Talent from India (GATI) Foundation.
"There is naturally the issue of how we adjust to the demands of the global workplace to optimise benefits," he said.
"Conceptually, it is vital that we promote legal mobility and strongly discourage, I would argue even prohibit, non-legal ones," he said.
Jaishankar said the challenge of the "black economy" has to be faced, from the viewpoint of the talent flow, societal good as well as of national security.
"Currently, mobility is largely regulated by the Emigration Act 1983, which was designed to address the demands of a particular geography in a certain era," he said.
"However, times have changed and our vistas have expanded. We need to be more promotional and aware of new possibilities, even while taking care of the vulnerable," he said.
This issue is currently being examined by the government, he added.
Jaishankar said the government has taken a range of steps to give Indian citizens the "confidence to fully explore the global workplace".
These steps include the ability to carry out evacuation operations, and measures to back up nationals in difficult situations such as the replacement passports, payment of wages or preventing mistreatment by foreign employers, or ensuring the rights of Indians abroad.
"From establishing an effective grievance portal to creating a responsive fund for the needs of the vulnerable, we have sought to institutionalised...taking care of Indians abroad," he said.
Jaishankar said there are currently about 34 million Indians and people of Indian origin living and working abroad, and about half of them are Indian citizens. About a third are located in West Asia and the rest are spread across mostly developed economies.
Global professions such as seafaring, airlines and the hospitality sector have already tapped into India's human resources pool at a significant level and economies like Australia and Germany have seen a significant increase of working Indians in the past few years, he said.
"Economies like Australia or Germany have seen a significant increase of working Indians in the last few years," he said.
"Through migration and mobility partnerships as well as specialized skilled workers agreements with 22 nations, we have created a pathway as well as a brand," he added.
Jaishankar said India's talents and skills will be very much part of "our branding" and a more interdependent and technology-driven world will put a greater premium on it.
He also said that foreign investment, collaboration and trade will play a key role in accelerating manufacturing, development of technology, optimisation of agriculture and food processing, and digital and AI issues.
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