Over 3,500 registrations from nearly 70 nations for 17th PBD

New Delhi: For the upcoming 17th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD), India has received an enthusiastic response from its diaspora with more than 3,500 registrations from nearly 70 different countries, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

The NRI convention, which will be held from January 8-10 in Indore, will see ministerial level delegations from Mauritius, Malaysia, Panama, and participation from the Indian diaspora in several countries, including Mauritius, the UAE, the US, Qatar, and Oman.

Addressing a special Ministry of External Affairs briefing on the upcoming PBD, Secretary, Consular & Diaspora, Ausaf Sayeed said that diaspora will play a very important role in the developmental trajectory of India.

“In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat over the next 25 years — as we look up to India in 2047 — we feel that the diaspora will play a very important role in the developmental trajectory of India,” he said.

Sayeed said that this year’s PBD is significant as it marks 75 years of India’s Independence.

The formal inauguration of the PBD convention with the theme — ‘Diaspora: Reliable Partners for India’s Progress in Amrit Kaal’ — will be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 9.

Five plenary sessions are planned for the PBD with themes of healthcare, soft power, Indian workforce and women, Sayeed said during the briefing.

He added that four of these sessions would be headed by cabinet ministers for the first time.

Additionally, a town hall has been planned, where G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant as well as coordinator Harshvardhan Shringla will give a presentation on India’s G20 presidency.

The first day, January 8, will be celebrated as Youth Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which will be organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs.

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Anurag Thakur will deliver opening remarks along with External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar during this session of the convention.

–IANS