UPSC GS Paper II: International Relations, Diaspora, Soft Power, Yoga, Cinema, Cultural Diplomacy

Must?Know

• The Indian diaspora exceeds 32 million people as per Ministry of External Affairs (2023), making it the largest diaspora globally, with significant populations in the UAE, USA, and Saudi Arabia.
• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) is celebrated on January 9 to mark the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa in 1915; the first PBD was held in 2003.
• The Ministry of External Affairs established the Overseas Indian Facilitation Centre (OIFC) to support diaspora engagement and investment facilitation.
• The Person of Indian Origin (PIO) card and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card were merged in 2015 into a single OCI scheme with lifelong visa privileges.
• OCI cardholders are not eligible for voting, holding constitutional posts, or buying agricultural land, as per the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• The Indian diaspora contributed USD 100 billion in remittances in 2022 (World Bank), making India the top remittance recipient country globally.
• The Global Indian Conference, organized by the MEA, aims to connect diaspora professionals with Indian policymakers and entrepreneurs.
• Yoga was declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2016, following India’s nomination under the 2003 Convention.
• International Day of Yoga (IDY) was first celebrated on June 21, 2015, after UN Resolution A/RES/69/131 was co-sponsored by 177 nations in 2014.
• The Ministry of AYUSH was established in 2014 to institutionalize traditional Indian systems of medicine, including yoga.
• India’s cultural diplomacy includes the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), founded in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to promote cultural exchange.
• ICCR operates 12 cultural centers abroad, including in Moscow, London, and Port Louis, to promote Indian languages and arts.
• Indian cinema, particularly Bollywood, contributes to soft power through global film festivals and diaspora screenings; "Dangal" (2016) was a major cultural export in China.
• The Film Federation of India submits India’s official entry for the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.
• India’s soft power index (Portland Communications, 2023) ranks India 27th globally, behind Japan, South Korea, and the UK.
• The Indian diaspora played a key role in advocating for the US-India Civil Nuclear Agreement (2008) through lobbying groups like USINPAC.
• The Know India Programme (KIP), run by MEA, familiarizes young diaspora members with Indian culture, polity, and development.
• The Study in India programme, promoted by ICCR, aims to attract foreign students by showcasing Indian higher education and cultural heritage.
• India’s Neighbourhood First policy leverages cultural ties, including Buddhist diplomacy, with countries like Nepal, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka.
• The Ramayana and Mahabharata are used in cultural diplomacy across Southeast Asia, with shared traditions in Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia.
• The Festival of India series, launched in the 1980s, was a major cultural diplomacy initiative held in the USSR, France, and the USA.
• Yoga’s inclusion in WHO’s ICD-11 (2019) as a wellness practice supports its integration into global health systems.
• The Indian diaspora in Fiji, Guyana, and Trinidad has preserved Indian cultural practices, including Diwali, which is a public holiday in these nations.
• The Ministry of External Affairs launched the e-Migrate system to regulate overseas employment and protect Indian workers abroad.

Difficulty Level

Intermediate – Requires integration of policy, cultural elements, and diaspora dynamics with current data and institutional frameworks.

Common UPSC Traps

Trap: OCI cardholders have full citizenship rights including voting – Fact: OCI cardholders cannot vote, contest elections, or hold constitutional posts as per Section 7A of the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Trap: International Day of Yoga was declared by WHO – Fact: It was declared by the United Nations General Assembly via Resolution A/RES/69/131 in 2014.
Trap: Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is celebrated on Gandhi’s birthday – Fact: It is celebrated on January 9, marking Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa in 1915.
Trap: The ICCR was established during the Nehruvian era to promote political alliances – Fact: ICCR was founded in 1950 to promote cultural relations, not political or military alliances.
Trap: India’s soft power is primarily driven by IT sector – Fact: While IT contributes, soft power is formally measured through culture, education, diaspora, and foreign policy (Portland Index).

Practice MCQs

Question: Which of the following statements about the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) scheme is correct?
A) OCI cardholders can vote in Indian elections
B) OCI cardholders can purchase agricultural land in India
C) OCI cardholders are eligible for lifelong multiple-entry visa to India
D) OCI status can be granted to citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh
Answer: C
Explanation: OCI cardholders receive lifelong multiple-entry visas to India as per the Citizenship (OCI) Rules, 2015.
Why others fail: Option D is tempting due to broad eligibility, but OCI is not granted to citizens of Pakistan and Bangladesh under Section 7A(2)(d) of Citizenship Act.

Question: The International Day of Yoga was first observed globally in:
A) 2014
B) 2015
C) 2016
D) 2017
Answer: B
Explanation: The first International Day of Yoga was celebrated on June 21, 2015, following UN resolution A/RES/69/131 adopted in December 2014.
Why others fail: Option A is tempting as the resolution was passed in 2014, but the first observance was in 2015.

Question: Which of the following best describes the role of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR)?
A) To coordinate foreign aid to neighboring countries
B) To promote cultural exchange between India and other nations
C) To regulate the Indian diaspora’s political activities abroad
D) To manage India’s participation in international trade fairs
Answer: B
Explanation: ICCR, established in 1950, promotes cultural relations through scholarships, cultural centers, and exchange programs.
Why others fail: Option A confuses ICCR with Ministry of External Affairs’ development partnerships.

Question: The largest source of remittances to India in 2022 was:
A) United Kingdom
B) Saudi Arabia
C) United States of America
D) United Arab Emirates
Answer: D
Explanation: UAE was the top remittance source for India in 2022 (World Bank), driven by large Indian workforce in construction and services.
Why others fail: Option C is tempting due to high-skilled diaspora, but volume from Gulf countries exceeds that from the USA.

Question: Which of the following is NOT a feature of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas?
A) It is celebrated on January 9
B) It commemorates Mahatma Gandhi’s return from South Africa
C) It is organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs
D) It includes awards for distinguished overseas Indians
Answer: C
Explanation: PBD is organized by the Ministry of External Affairs, not the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Why others fail: Option D is tempting as PBD does include awards, but the organizing ministry is a key factual detail.

Question: The UNESCO recognition of Yoga as Intangible Cultural Heritage was granted under which convention?
A) 1972 World Heritage Convention
B) 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
C) 1970 Convention on Cultural Property
D) 1989 Recommendation on Museum Policy
Answer: B
Explanation: Yoga was inscribed in 2016 under UNESCO’s 2003 Convention, which India ratified in 2005.
Why others fail: Option A is tempting due to UNESCO’s visibility in heritage, but it applies to tangible sites.

Question: Which Indian film significantly boosted India’s soft power in China in the 2010s?
A) Lagaan
B) 3 Idiots
C) Dangal
D) PK
Answer: C
Explanation: "Dangal" (2016) became the highest-grossing non-Hollywood foreign film in China at the time, enhancing cultural visibility.
Why others fail: Option B is tempting as "3 Idiots" was popular, but "Dangal" had greater box office and diplomatic impact.

Last?Minute Revision

• Pravasi Bharatiya Divas – January 9 (Gandhi’s return, 1915).
• OCI and PIO merged in 2015.
• OCI does not grant voting rights or constitutional post eligibility.
• World’s largest diaspora – India (32+ million, MEA 2023).
• Top remittance recipient – India (USD 100 billion, 2022, World Bank).
• International Day of Yoga – June 21, first celebrated 2015.
• UN Resolution A/RES/69/131 – adopted 2014, initiated by India.
• Yoga – UNESCO Intangible Heritage, 2016.
• ICCR founded – 1950, by Maulana Azad.
• ICCR cultural centers – 12 abroad.
• Know India Programme – MEA initiative for diaspora youth.
• Study in India – ICCR program for foreign students.
• Festival of India – launched in USSR in 1980s.
• "Dangal" – major soft power film in China.
• Indian cinema Oscar entry – submitted by Film Federation of India.
• Soft power index – India ranked 27th (Portland, 2023).
• e-Migrate – MEA system for overseas employment.
• US-India Nuclear Deal – supported by Indian-American lobby (2008).
• Neighbourhood First – includes Buddhist circuit diplomacy.
• Ramayana diplomacy – cultural ties with Thailand, Indonesia.
• AYUSH Ministry – established 2014.
• WHO ICD-11 – includes yoga (2019).
• Diwali – public holiday in Fiji, Guyana, Trinidad.
• PIO card abolished – merged with OCI in 2015.
• verify from standard source – exact number of ICCR scholarships annually.