Since 2003, the Republic of India has observed Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9 to recognise the growth of India as a result of the contributions made by Indians living abroad. On this day, Mahatma Gandhi is honoured for his arrival in Mumbai on January 9, 1915, following his trip to South Africa.

Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, 2003

A three-day conference is being held in New Delhi to encourage overseas Indians to build closer links with their homeland. The meeting is part of an effort to tap the enormous potential of skilled Indians living abroad. India calls them the “global Indian family” – about 22 million people of Indian origin scattered all over the world. The annual income of overseas Indians is estimated at $160 billion, about one third of India’s entire gross domestic product.