Indian diaspora and the EU—A review toward an integrated future research agenda

Abstract

While the Indian diaspora has historical roots in Europe stemming from its colonial legacy of the Commonwealth,
the contemporary research has focused on its impact in the United States, both in economic and increasingly
political terms. Yet, Indian diaspora is of theoretical and practical interest to the European Union (EU) due to its
multiple roles in contributing to the economy of the “old continent.” There is limited knowledge about these complex
and multilayered roles and impacts of diasporas as economic actors since most research takes a specific
disciplinary focus, for example, ethnic entrepreneurship, rather than an interdisciplinary view. This paper contributes
by reviewing extant research and advancing the discussion across disciplines. It assesses the major elements
of relevance for future research by examining and discussing the evolving communities, characteristics,
locations, businesses as well as the key roles and impacts of the Indian diaspora in the EU. It shows that India
represents a key sending country of skilled labor to the EU; its diaspora demonstrates significant investments,
entrepreneurship and business establishments while contributing to increasing trade relations.