Integration of Overseas Indians Ministry with MEA

The proposal for merger was cleared by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, who also holds charge of the MOIA said. Nearly 12 years after it was set up to improve engagement with the Indian diaspora, the government has decided to merge the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) with the External Affairs Ministry in sync with its broad principle of minimum government, maximum governance. As Minister for External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs, I realised that substantial work of MOIA is done through our missions abroad. Therefore, I proposed to Prime Minister that MOIA should be merged with Ministry of External Affairs. Ensuring “minimum government, maximum governance” was a major promise of the BJP in the run up to the Lok sabha polls in 2014. Established in May 2004 as the Ministry of Non-Resident Indians’ Affairs, it was renamed as the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs in September 2004. The Ministry initiated various programmes focusing on developing networks with and amongst the overseas Indians with the intent of building partnership with the diaspora. The primary task of the MOIA was to connect the Indian diaspora with its motherland. Swarup said the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas, which used to be a flagship event of the MOIA will be celebrated by the MEA on January 9.

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