Huge Indian Diaspora Delegation from UAE to Diaspora Congress in India

Anurag Bhushan, Joint Secretary for Overseas Indian Affairs of MEA and former Consul General of India in Dubai, met senior community members at the 17th PBD to ensure the active participation of the UAE’s large Indian diaspora community.

He said the first live PBD in four years will be held in Indore, Madhya Pradesh from January 8 to 10, 2023, in collaboration with the Madhya Pradesh government.

“We are delighted that after four years we can finally host a sporting event again,” said Bhushan, who is also in charge of MEA PBD.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the last PBD is held almost every two years.

Indian diaspora, especially investors from all over the world, are keen to attend what is considered the largest gathering of Indian investors, Bhushan said. The government will also work to ensure the representation of the large number of Indian workers overseas, he said.

While some community members have raised concerns on its website about the high cost of registering for the event, Bhushan said the government has made efforts to keep fees reasonable and offer group discounts for members of expat community organisations.

“We’ve made sure we’re giving discounts to those who register early as well…and then other costs like transport and accommodation are also kept at a fairly reasonable level. The state government is working hard to make sure our fellow Indians stay as comfortable as possible.”

When asked about the limited connectivity of flights from the UAE to Indore, Bhushan said: “We are in touch with the Ministry of Civil Aviation. We are also in touch with other airlines. I think if there is a large enough number [of participants], we will be able to do something about the flight. “

Speaking later, Dr. Aman Puri, India’s consul general in Dubai, said: “We will also discuss with airlines to operate special charter flights… We will take full advantage of the direct connectivity between Dubai and Indore.”

He added that expat community groups have been looking forward to the event. “We are absolutely certain that the largest delegations entering the PBD will be from the UAE and various associations, and the representatives have assured us that they will encourage their members to participate as a group, which is very convenient for everyone.”

Dr Puri noted that some business leaders are also likely to head to the Investment Summit two days before the PBD.

“We are absolutely certain to have a large delegation of entrepreneurs, business people and other industry leaders and stakeholders in attendance. As we all know, with the signing of CEPA [Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and India], the business relationship and investment relationship between the UAE and India is on the rise and we are at a historical inflection point in the relationship. So the participation of the Indian community in PBD will really reflect the very strong relationship between the two countries. “

Kamal Vachani, President of the Global Organization of Indian Origin (GOPIO) in Dubai, said: “This is a big deal for us expats because after four years the Indian diaspora is looking forward to participating in a very big way PBD. The whole UAE and the Middle East. I want to be there with the UAE delegation and GOPIO members.”

The theme of PBD 2023 is “The Diaspora: India’s Reliable Partner for Progress in Amritkar.” The 2023 PBD Convention will be opened on 9 January 2023 by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Youth PBD will be held on 8th January in partnership with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. On January 10, Indian President Drupadi Murmu will present the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award and officiate the graduation ceremony.