India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said the Indian diaspora has made an “invaluable contribution” to the societies and countries its members call home while maintaining enduring ties with Bharat. He described these connections as central to India’s relationship with overseas communities.
“The Indian diaspora thereby serves as a living bridge between India and the world,” Jaishankar said at the launch of the 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention website, pbdindia.gov.in, in New Delhi on November 11, 2026. He jointly launched the website with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari. The convention will take place in Kolkata, West Bengal, from January 7–9, 2027, in partnership with the state government.
The convention’s theme, “Return to Roots: Reigniting the Diaspora Connect with Bharat,” celebrates the Indian diaspora’s longstanding “civilizational, cultural and emotional” bonds with its motherland and seeks to strengthen those relationships, Jaishankar said. He added that the gathering would create meaningful opportunities for younger generations of overseas Indians to explore their heritage, reconnect with Bharat and develop a closer understanding of contemporary India and its ongoing transformation.
The three-day convention will begin with the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, followed by the formal inauguration by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Indian President Droupadi Murmu will preside over the closing session and present the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards, which honor members of the Indian diaspora for outstanding contributions in their fields and efforts to strengthen India’s ties with the global community.
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The External Affairs Minister emphasized the diaspora’s contribution to the global exchange of “ideas, knowledge, innovation, culture, and enterprise.” He said overseas Indians were connected to the country through more than their ancestry, describing them as participants in India’s present and important stakeholders in its future.
As India pursues Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Jaishankar said the diaspora would play an increasingly important role. Its knowledge, professional expertise, entrepreneurial experience, technological capabilities and international networks could support the country’s growth and development. He added that progress within India and the opportunities emerging across its economy would offer overseas Indians additional avenues for collaboration, renewed engagement and contributions to the country’s development in the years ahead.
“So, the 19th PBD will be an opportunity, not just to celebrate our shared heritage, but also to renew a partnership for the future,” Jaishankar noted. “Now, I am particularly pleased that Kolkata will host the 19th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, because you all know that Kolkata occupies a very special place, both in the history of India and in the history of the Indian diaspora.”
Jaishankar recalled that many Indians departed from Kolkata for Mauritius, Fiji and the Caribbean, taking their languages, customs and faith with them. Their journeys, frequently marked by hardship and sacrifice, helped establish Indian communities overseas and laid the foundations for a global Indian presence that continues today.
“Now, Kolkata is not only a city that celebrates India’s cultural heritage, but as you can see from its history, it is also one very deeply connected to the making of the global Indian diaspora,” he said. He expressed confidence that Kolkata and the people of West Bengal, under the Chief Minister’s leadership, would warmly welcome overseas Indians and provide a memorable experience during the convention.
Jaishankar explained that PBD is observed around January 9 to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa on that date in 1915. The occasion celebrates the achievements of overseas Indians and recognizes their contributions both to the countries where they live and to India, while providing a forum for renewed engagement.
He described the diaspora’s history as a story of courage, enterprise, resilience and achievement. That history, he said, extends from earlier generations who crossed continents seeking opportunities to today’s entrepreneurs, academics, professionals, innovators and community leaders, whose work has helped shape their adopted societies while sustaining connections with India across successive generations.
Following his recent visit to the United States and the Caribbean, Jaishankar said diaspora members were eager to visit India, engage with people and institutions, and learn about developments in the country. Such visits, he said, helped them follow India’s changes.
“On our part, of course, we are very keen today to take our heritage and culture to the four corners of the world through the network of the diaspora, and we believe that this reconnection of roots, which will be the theme, is something that will serve our interests as well as theirs,” he added.
To support that effort, Jaishankar said the government had developed Bharatverse, a gamified application intended to connect international audiences with India through technology and interactive experiences. “So we are also today launching our much-awaited PBD special Bharat Ko Janiya quiz through this AI-enabled public diplomacy platform,” he added, outlining another component of the outreach initiative.
The quiz will run for more than a month, with winners invited on a 10-day tour of India. Beyond the PBD competition, the platform will offer activities throughout the year, including games, quizzes marking special occasions, crosswords, puzzles and other forms of interactive engagement.
“And I invite our diaspora members to participate in it in large numbers,” he added.
Secretary (CPV & OIA) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sripriya Ranganathan, said the website launch marked an important step in the government’s preparations for the 2027 PBD convention.
“It will be the gateway for our diaspora friends across the world to learn more about the convention, to register and plan their visit to Kolkata,” Ranganathan added. “The state government of West Bengal has been a committed and engaged partner. We are grateful to the Honorable Chief Minister for his guidance and support, and for traveling to Delhi for this event today.”
Ranganathan said organizers had reviewed feedback from earlier conventions and considered the diaspora’s changing interests and aspirations while developing this edition’s program. The resulting priorities include youth engagement, business opportunities, women’s entrepreneurship and stronger connections with India’s cultural heritage and knowledge traditions, with activities designed to encourage participation across generations and professional backgrounds.
“The theme of the convention, return to roots, reigniting the diaspora’s connect with Bharat, captures the spirit of this edition. Through the Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, we’ll provide young diaspora members with an opportunity to share their perspectives and aspirations,” she added.
Holding the convention in Kolkata also allows organizers to give greater prominence to its Girmitiya connections, Ranganathan said. The city served as an important departure point for thousands of Indians who traveled overseas as indentured laborers. Their descendants remain an enduring part of the wider Indian diaspora and its history across generations.
“We will honor this history through our dedicated conference, the first World Girmitiya Games, and an exhibition,” she added. “Our aim is to make the 19th PBD an engaging and enriching experience for our diaspora, providing opportunities to interact with government, connect with leaders across different fields, and network with fellow diaspora members from around the world. We also hope that the convention will leave a lasting impact well beyond January 2027.”
Ranganathan thanked the partners supporting the convention, including participating ministries and departments, leading chambers of commerce, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited, IIT Kharagpur, IIM Kolkata and other institutions. She also acknowledged diaspora organizations contributing to preparations for the gathering and its outreach to overseas Indian communities.
