Chetan Rana

November 2023

The US is the second-most preferred destination of migrants from India and the Indian diaspora in turn forms the third largest diaspora in the US. The chapter suggests that Modi’s diaspora engagement employs a distinctive populist discursive strategy. Modi regularly holds events during his foreign trips to address the diaspora directly, often in large numbers. The chapter finds that the direct public engagement of the Indian diaspora under Modi is adapted slightly to the perceived interests and needs of the diaspora even though it remains laced with ethno-populist undertones. The conception of ‘the people’ is expanded to include foreign audiences of voters and supporters.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41640-8_13