Log In

Sign up for access to the world's latest research

India and Africa shared a multidimensional relationship since ancient times. The geographical proximity and an easily navigable Indian Ocean brought the people of the two regions nearer to each other. During colonial times, soon after the conquest of Africa and for restructuring African economy, the free and voluntary relations of the past gave way to colonial needs and preferences. The relations between India and sovereign states of Africa were formally established when both sides gained independence. No other country in thw world has had African rulers even though they were traded as slaves throughout the continents. Africans came to India as traders, rulers, and artists in the earlier times and through slave trades later. The provinces of Sachin and Janjira in western India were African ruled kingdoms that survived the war of independence. Deccan, as well as Bengal have been influenced by Africans who shaped their economy, political and social life for quite some time.

2018

Research work, whether empirical or descriptive, cannot be undertaken without adequate familiarity with the existing body of literature in the broad area of research. The research interlinks diverse perspectives given in literature and attempts in-depth and more comprehensive understanding of a problem, thereby expanding the horizons of knowledge in the field. Thus, review of literature related to the concern topic is an important fragment of the research work. The central objective of this paper is to review the literature on African Diaspora and on its spread in the Indian subcontinent. Accordingly, the available literature in this field is being reviewed here. Most recent book on African Diaspora in India is The African Diaspora in India: Assimilation, Change and Cultural Survivals by Purnima Mehta Bhatt (2018) 1 explores the subject of African presence in India. She focuses on cultural assimilation and survivals of the Sidis, who occupy a unique place in Indian history. The Sidis comprise scattered communities of people of African descent who travelled and settled in many parts of south Asian continent and have left a strong impression on these societies. The Study on African Diaspora in India: A Historical study 2 covers various aspects related to Africans who are now profoundly assimilated into social fabric of India. The fields which are more focused are Diaspora, in a broader sense, African migration with the special reference to Indian Ocean trade, the two African kingdoms, Janjira and Sachin, socioeconomic condition of Siddis and their role and place in Indian society. Hindu Puranas explain the Indian trade relations with Rome, Greece,

GRFDT Research Monograph Series , 2016

India has been one of the important destinations of the many foreign Diasporas. African diaspora is one of them. Africans migrated from their ancestral homeland i.e. the northern African Countries to several places in India before and after under the British System. In India, a majority of them are found near the coastal states of India such as Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. In Gujarat, these tribes are known as Siddis, and most of them inhabited the villages of Gir-Somnath District of Gujarat. It can be inferred from a perusal of various texts and journals that Siddis may have been brought to India by Portuguese sailors when they were on their way to India in the late 15th century. The age of discovery, new sea routes were discovered by European sailors connecting African and Asian sub-continent and with the rest of the world. Discovery of new sea routes gave birth to colonial ambitions, which in turn led to the growth of the desire to rule others who were supposed to be inferiors, socially and culturally. When Siddi arrived in India, they faced various socio-economic and cultural problems in the host country. Afterwards, they were to mingle in Indian society which was not easy in any way. Initially, they had to live in forest or jungle inhabited by ferocious animals. But, over the years situations have improved and they developed their own society. This paper is based on the empirical work carried out in different villages of the GirSomnath District of Gujarat. This paper explores the history of African migration to India with their various issues related to identity and assimilation in India.

IJRPR, 2024

The Indian diaspora in Africa has a long and complex history, spanning several centuries, shaped by trade, migration, colonialism, and post-colonial dynamics. This diaspora has contributed significantly to the social, economic, and cultural landscapes of various African countries. The presence of Indians in Africa dates back to the 19th century, with Indian merchants and labourers initially arriving as part of the British colonial enterprise. Over time, Indian migration to Africa grew, with significant populations in countries like South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mauritius, particularly in the eastern and southern parts of the continent. Indian migration to Africa can be categorized into two major waves: the indentured labourers brought in by colonial powers, and the merchant class that settled in the region. The first group primarily came to work in the agricultural sector, especially in sugar plantations, while the second group was involved in trade and commerce, establishing businesses that would eventually become key players in the local economies. In countries like South Africa, Indians were involved in retail trade, manufacturing, and later, the services sector. Politically and socially, the Indian diaspora in Africa faced both opportunities and challenges. While they contributed to the economic development of their host countries, they also faced racial discrimination, especially in colonial South Africa, where they were subjected to the same policies of segregation as the indigenous African population. In the post-independence era, Indian communities in Africa navigated the complex political landscape of newly independent African states, balancing their economic role with the need to adapt to changing political dynamics. In contemporary times, the Indian diaspora in Africa remains a crucial component of the continent’s economic growth, with Indians involved in various sectors including trade, technology, healthcare, and infrastructure development. India’s increasing diplomatic and economic ties with African countries have further reinforced the role of the Indian diaspora as a bridge between India and Africa, fostering greater collaboration in trade, investment, and cultural exchange. The Indian diaspora in Africa has not only shaped the economic and political spheres of their host countries but has also contributed to the cultural diversity of the continent. Indian communities have maintained strong cultural ties to India while also integrating into their African host countries, creating unique, hybrid identities that reflect both their Indian heritage and African influences. This dynamic cultural exchange continues to thrive, influencing the African continent's rich cultural mosaic. Keywords: Indian diaspora, Africa, Indian migration, India-Africa, etc.

The first migrations of people from Africa to the Indian Subcontinent took place about fifty-sixty thousand years ago. However, most of the Indo-African population of India came to the Subcontinent in the last five hundred years. Reasonably quickly they became naturalized to both the Indian culture and the Indian way of life, got involved in politics and social disputes, and many of them rose to a high authority in the Indian society. The aim of the article is to show the status development of Africans in India and the change in social attitude towards them, by means of an analysis of examples chosen from the history of African settlement in India.

Globalizations, 2017

South African Historical Journal, 2007

Since 1994, there has been a marked rise of India in the South African public imagination. Indian investment in South Africa in sectors like the automotive industry, pharmaceuticals and telecommunications has expanded significantly.' Indian-made commercials appear on television while Indian-produced motor cars are now common on our roads. Indian cinema has been mainstreamed on the South African Broadcasting Association (SABC) and in suburban multiplexes. This current interest in India is an added layer to a long history of interaction between the two areas stretching back to seventeenth-century slavery and nineteenthcentury migration (both indentured and `free'). These links were ruptured by apartheid but have been enthusiastically resumed post-1994.

Documenting one of the World's Great Diasporic Movements - Compendium on Indians settled overseas during the past few centuries. Exploring Indo- South Arabian – Yemen link. First of its kind, the illustrated book documents one of the great overseas citizenry. The Encyclopedia of the Indian Overseas is thought to be a major reference for policy makers, scholars, researchers and students.

2015

Asian/Indian settlements in East, Central and Southern Africa are a well-known fact. Many studies have been made to describe and analyse their presence and problems, their contribution to the social and economic development of their new homelands, and also their participation in the political life there. Similarly, there are several African settlements in India, the presence of which was reported long time ago but only as a novelty or in Census Reports. However, recently some serious studies about their social organisation, economic activity and political participation have been published in India and the United States. There are about 250 000 Afro-Indians, i.e. Indians of African origin, in India, settled in the state of Gujarat bordering Pakistan and, in the states of Andhra Pradesh in south-central India (former Kingdom of Hyderabad), Maharashtra (formerly Bombay State), Kerala and Karnataka in the south, and the former Portuguese territories of Daman, Diu and Goa. In Gujarat the...

Social Change, 2004

Over the last one decade, the study of the Indian Diaspora has emerged as a rich area of multidisciplinary research interest. In this bibliographical compilation, we list the major works in the last 25 years. Since the sources and disciplines are varied, we could not access all the published materials. We hope the compilations will fulfill its objective of providing background knowledge to new scholars as well as academicians pursuing research on Indian Diaspora.

The paper was presented at a conference at the University of West Indies, Trinidad in an international conference in May 2015.It raises certain issues in the construction of the history of people of Indian origin in Trinidad.

HAL (Le Centre pour la Communication Scientifique Directe), 2011

Indian writers have been making a significant contribution to world literature since independence. The past few years have seen a massive flourishing of Indian fiction in the global market. However, there is a great deal of Indian writers with few themes that usually link them together. The issues of identity and language, the themes of exile and diaspora have become the themes of prime concern of the Indian fiction. The Immigrants’ experience, the question of identity and the expatriate experience continue to furnish remarkable material for fiction. Keywords: Indo-anglian, diaspora, identity crisis, alieanation, immigration, nostalgia for

Tracing the New Indian Diaspora, 2014

Az iszlám és Közép-Európa. Geopolitika és migráció, 2018

Although cultural diversity and multiculturalism are not parts of a new phenomenon, due to the increased flow of information, economic goods, people and their culture, it is certainly more significant than ever before. Whilst in Hungary the capital and major cities with higher educational and academic importance may be characterised by this kind of heterogeneity, in other parts of the world, even small cities and towns – especially in Western Europe – have large migrant communities from various countries. The first wave of Indian migration reached Europe between the fifth and tenth centuries which involved people mostly from the borderlands of present day Pakistan and North-Western India; their movements carried on throughout centuries, but have become more significant since the second half of the 20th century. In regard to India and its considerable size of population, it is not an exaggeration to state that the Indian diaspora can be found in every corner of the world. According to current data and estimation, their worldwide coverage involves about 30 million people this exceeds 10 thousand in, at least, 64 countries, and more than a half million in 16 countries which is highly significant also in the entire population of a given host country. In 2004, the Indian Government established the Ministry of Non-Resident Indians’ Affairs, today known as the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), in the aim of registering and supporting those living in the Indian diaspora by providing them information, partnerships and facilitations in several ways. In this study, the authors present their findings based on their research investigations on migrants of Indian origin with the aims of revealing their major reasons, causes, circumstances and directions; and also identifying, localising and quantifying of this diaspora which has been essential part of an on-going and ever growing project.

Transactions of the Institute of British …, 2012

Governments are increasingly engaging with their diasporas as a means of managing their national economies. Nevertheless, analyses of government diaspora strategies have not adequately accounted for the complexities of diasporic affiliations and identities, especially those not easily brought into the purview of economic governance. Drawing on performative understandings of how national polities are realised, this paper argues that incorporating diasporic populations entails more than managing material flows: it also involves an engagement with the histories that tie diasporas to particular nations. Using a discourse analysis of the textual narratives of the Indian Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), I examine their representations of East African Asians' history of migration and settlement. Though the MOIA 'decolonises' their historical associations with the ambiguous space of the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent, it also ironically deploys colonial modes of thought in rewriting their history as Indian. This analysis suggests there is a need to re-examine how diasporas are valued by governments to take account of their multiple historical and contemporary significances.

1992

Asian/Indian settlements in East, Central and Southern Africa are a well-known fact. Many studies have been made to describe and analyse their presence and problems, their contribution to the social and economic development of their new homelands, and also their participation in the political life there. Similarly, there are several African settlements in India, the presence of which was reported long time ago but only as a novelty or in Census Reports. However, recently some serious studies about their social organisation, economic activity and political participation have been published in India and the United States. There are about 250 000 Afro-Indians, i.e. Indians of African origin, in India, settled in the state of Gujarat bordering Pakistan and, in the states of Andhra Pradesh in south-central India (former Kingdom of Hyderabad), Maharashtra (formerly Bombay State), Kerala and Karnataka in the south, and the former Portuguese territories of Daman, Diu and Goa. In Gujarat they are found in the districts of Ahmedabad,

India and Africa: Enhancing Mutual Engagement, 2014

Exploring trajectories of migration and theory

• Explore
• Papers
• Topics

• Features
• Mentions
• Analytics
• PDF Packages
• Advanced Search
• Search Alerts

• Journals
• Academia.edu Journals
• My submissions
• Reviewer Hub
• Why publish with us
• Testimonials

• Company
• About
• Careers
• Press
• Help Center
• Terms
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Content Policy