Navigating Diaspora Politics

Abstract This paper examines the Indian Muslim diaspora during the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focusing on how diaspora networks function as instruments of soft power in India’s foreign policy, particularly in Muslim-majority Gulf nations. Despite past tensions, India has strengthened ties in the Middle East by strategically engaging with its diaspora communities. Whereas the focus of scholarship has often been Hindu diaspora groups, this study emphasises Indian Muslims in the Gulf, who engage with India’s policies through lenses shaped by pan-Islamic solidarity, ethical considerations and regional politics. Their responses challenge simplistic views of national identity and diaspora loyalty. Using Benedict Anderson’s idea of ‘bound’ and ‘unbound serialities’, the paper explores how state narratives interact with transnational religious affiliations, producing a complex negotiation of identity. By comparing Hindu and Muslim diasporic engagements, this study calls for a more inclusive understanding of diaspora diplomacy—one that reflects the pluralism of Indian identities and the nuanced realities of global geopolitical alignment.