PM Lee Hsien Loong at the South Asian Diaspora Convention 2011 Opening Ceremony

Ambassador Pillai
Distinguished guests
Ladies and gentlemen

I am delighted to officiate inaugural South Asian Diaspora Convention (SADC). Happy to see such a good turnout and impressive line-up of speakers. The Convention is a platform to bring prominent members of the South Asian diaspora to Singapore to network. The idea first mooted by President Nathan. Kudos to the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) for organising the SADC.

The South Asian Diaspora

There are approximately 50 million members in the South Asian diaspora. It is a diverse group, comprising emigrants or descendants from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. They are spread all around the world and engaged in wide variety of industries.

Many have done well in their adopted homes and on the international stage, e.g. Lakshmi Mittal from India, a steel magnate and one of the top ten richest individuals in the world, and Kemal Bokhary from Pakistan, now a prominent judge in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. This reflects the quality and talent within the diaspora.

The diaspora all over the world maintain two important connections. First, they build bridges between their adopted homes and their homelands. They open up new markets, e.g. early South Asian traders established vibrant trade links with Southeast Asia via the Malacca Strait and Indian Ocean. They are an important source of remittances to homeland, e.g. Indian diaspora remitted US$50 billion to India in 2010; Pakistani diaspora remit US$8 billion to Pakistan annually. Second, diaspora build bridges with the local communities in their adopted homes. They disseminate new thinking, e.g. the early diaspora in Asia introduced new ideas of governance leading to the establishment of Hindu kingdoms in Southeast Asia, such as Srivijaya, and Funan, Chenla and Champa in Indochina. They enrich the local culture through informal interactions, sharing cultural festivities, etc.

It is important to balance these connections. If the diaspora focuses only on its links with their homeland, it may not be welcome by local community. If the diaspora becomes too localised, then it risks losing touch with its original culture and heritage. Either will compromise diaspora’s effectiveness as a link between original homelands and adopted homes

Singapore and the South Asian Diaspora

Singapore welcomes members of the South Asian diaspora. We are an open society. We have welcomed people not just from South Asia, but also Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia.

There are many historical links between Singapore and South Asia. Even our name – Singapura – has Sanskrit roots. We have longstanding trade ties. Alsor religion, e.g., Islam came through Indian traders.

The first wave of South Asian diaspora formed a significant proportion of Singapore’s population. They came to Singapore in 19th and early-20th centuries. They settled down, started families, became part of our community. They made significant contributions to Singapore, e.g. Rajabali Jumabhoy, a successful merchant who founded the Indian Chamber of Commerce in 1935, and S Rajaratnam and Devan Nair, both pioneering leaders of Singapore.

There has been a new wave of South Asian diaspora these past 10-15 years. Many come to do business. Some have made this their home. I am confident that in time they will also integrate into Singapore society, both with the Singaporean Indians and other ethnic groups, and contribute much to Singapore. Ultimately, this will strengthen our society and enhance our cultural diversity.

Singapore as a Springboard to Asia and the World

I encourage the South Asian diaspora to continue its partnership with Singapore and the rest of Asia. Singapore well-positioned to be springboard for South Asian diaspora to engage rest of Asia and world. We are located at crossroads of trade, talent and capital flows. We are business-friendly, e.g. legal system, transparent, use of English; and also attractive for families, e.g. safe, good education and healthcare, close to home of origin. We are a natural hub for companies and talent to connect with one another.

Singapore knows Northeast Asia well. We are a majority Chinese population. Our cultural affinity and common language give us a deeper understanding and better access to the Chinese market.

Singapore also enjoys good connections with South Asia. We are geographically close by. Many Singaporeans of South Asian origin maintain ties with their ancestral countries and can serve as facilitators in Singapore, e.g. some Singaporean children regularly return to their ancestral homes to brush up on native tongues such as Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Urdu, Sinhalese and Punjabi. This helps the diaspora to retain ties through language, customs and practices.

Singapore will actively foster closer links with South Asia. With India, we signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) in 2005. Since then, bilateral trade has boomed, exceeding $30 billion in 2010. Singapore has become second largest foreign investor in India. ASEAN also has an FTA with India. Bilateral and regional trade will increase as India prospers. With other South Asian countries, there is the potential for relationship to grow. I hope that as the countries stabilise and grow, we can similarly develop and strengthen our economic ties.

Singapore is continuing to enrich our understanding of South Asia. We established ISAS to focus on South Asia culture and heritage. ISAS established the South Asian Link website and newsletter to track global activities of South Asia diaspora. Conventions like these are very useful. The theme of “Linking the South Asian Diaspora” fitting. I hope this convention will help seed new ideas and build lasting links.

Conclusion

The diaspora story is one of courage, tenacity and creativity. Many years ago, our South Asian forefathers forged new lives overseas, in Singapore and other parts of the region. Today, their children and grandchildren are connecting back to the countries of origins and linking beyond — creating their own stories, remaining proud of their heritage but striving for a common shared future.

Singapore is proud to be part of this. We succeeded largely on the backs of our diaspora who came from many lands to create a home and a nation on this island. We hope to continue being the bridge that links Asia, and the world, together.