INTRODUCTION
Germany is the third largest immigrant nation with over ten million foreigners, behind the United States and Russia.1 In 2005, the German governement codified this reality into law by acknowledging its status as a nation of immigrants. Germany's large immigrant population is a diverse one: while internal European migration accounts for much of its population, Asian and African migrants account for a growing percentage. However, for these newly considered immigrant countries, not all immigrants are equal; beyond country of origin, German immigration law has further delineated immigrants as skilled and unskilled workers. These distinctions have paved the way for a new generation of Indian migrants in Germany who have developed a new sense of belonging in a foreign land through the formation of transnational citizenship. As Indian nationals keep migrating to growing economic powers in Europe, Germany is considered an obvious choice next to the United Kingdom. Germany's role in regulating commerce and the Eurozone at large makes it a clear choice for migrant populations.
Over 80,000 Indian Nationals or Overseas Indian Citizens reside in Germany, and despite their seemingly small numbers, they play a unique role in shaping German politics and culture. Recent Indian regulations have established an Overseas Citizenship of India program, and Germany's Green Card initiative has been quite successful at attracting Indian Information Technology professionals.2 These dynamic factors are among many that have created intricate legal and economic relationships in regards to citizenship in a post-unified Europe among individual, identities, and nations where nation-states must balance financial interests while maintaining a cohesive national identity.
This paper focuses on the effects of the Indian Diaspora in Germany in regards to: (1) the international relations of diasporas, (2) the economics of migration,
2
1. Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland 2008
2. ibid.