The respect that India has been able to command at the international arena has come in no small measure by this soft power of the overseas Indian, who the world over are known for their values of hard work, of excellence and enterprise and respect for their communities and adopted countries.

Israel has changed its attitude toward the Diaspora and is more interested in a relationship of equals than it was before. Speaking at the Women’s International Zionist Organization’s Enlarged General Meeting, the Public Diplomacy and Diaspora Affairs Minister boasted that the government not only accepts donations from Jews living abroad but also invests in them.

He urged support of Indian diaspora in promoting India as a hub of innovation, qualified medical experts, and R & D to make the country a great soft power. There is need for exchange of medical professionals among countries, he opined.

Each country has a sizable diaspora from its neighbour – Tajikistan’s population is 15% Uzbek, while Uzbekistan’s is 5% Tajik – and shared cultural values. Those factors indicate that public diplomacy, an approach used frequently in Central Asia, could lead to significant progress in bilateral ties, observers say.

Washington realizes that Turkey has greater influence in the transformation efforts of the people in the region due to its soft power.... The outcome of this is now becoming visible with Turkey’s growing influence and its changing perception and image in the US.

India, with its unique cultural and civilisation strengths has tremendous assets in the soft power arena that are yet to be fully harnessed effectively. Its multi-ethnic culture, peace-generating civilisation values that includes religious and philosophical ideals, and the unique art forms and literatures are perhaps the core of this soft power asset mix.

It is the country of India that has the highest potential for soft power deployment in emerging markets, specifically in Africa for the following reasons...