Golden Visas and Residency: India’s growing influence in global diplomacy

Countries are using residency and Golden Visa programmes to attract India's wealthy and skilled professionals, reshaping India's global economic, diplomatic, and cultural influence while posing domestic challenges.

Published: September 16, 2025 / 10:56 IST
By Varun Singh

The rise of residency as soft power

The competition between nations is not limited to trade or military strength. Increasingly, countries are turning to softer forms of power—culture, education, and residency policies—to enhance their global standing.

One striking example is the surge of Golden Visas and investment-linked residency programmes actively targeting India's wealthy individuals, entrepreneurs, and skilled professionals.

India, with its rapidly growing economy and one of the world’s largest pools of skilled human capital, has become a prime focus. From Portugal to the United States, nations are offering pathways to residency and citizenship in exchange for investments or professional expertise. This trend reshapes not only the personal ambitions of Indian families but also India's economic and diplomatic positioning.

Why Indian capital is so attractive

India has produced a new generation of high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNIs) eager to diversify assets and expand global presence.

Drivers include:

Rising wealth in technology, manufacturing, and services
Desire to hedge against uncertainties (markets, politics, regulations)
Aspirations for better education, healthcare, and global mobility

Countries recognize this demand and compete to offer residency frameworks that combine lifestyle appeal with financial security.

The Golden Visa boom

Golden Visas have become the most visible symbol of this competition.

Portugal, Spain, Greece pioneered by granting residency for investments in real estate or funds.
UAE offers long-term residency permits to investors, professionals, and cultural figures.

Benefits for Indians:

Europe residency: Gateway to Schengen (27 countries) for mobility and business.
Gulf long-term visas: Secure historic trade ties and business operations.
Cultural & social benefits: A sense of permanence in chosen hubs.

Talent as a strategic asset

While investments attract headlines, talent visas are equally important.

Canada, Australia, UK actively recruit Indian professionals in tech, healthcare, and finance.
Skilled Indian workers enrich diversity, contribute economically, and build long-term bilateral ties.

Double-edged sword:

Pros: Global exposure, higher salaries, expanded opportunities.
Cons: Brain drain concerns, though many professionals remain connected via remittances, investments, and knowledge transfer.

India’s economic positioning in the global race

Residency abroad brings investment habits, business connections, and cultural influence that often circle back to India.

This can:

Boost bilateral trade
Create opportunities for Indian startups
Improve India’s visibility in global policy circles

Policy dilemma for India

Should India retain talent or embrace a global Indian community as a strategic asset? Increasingly, policymakers see the diaspora as an extension of India’s soft power.

Diplomatic leverage through migration

Residency programmes create diplomatic consequences:

Gulf states deepen ties due to massive Indian diaspora.
US & Canada: Indian-origin professionals gain political influence, even entering public offices.

This shows migration evolves into strategic partnerships beyond economics.

The domestic challenge for India

Despite benefits, challenges persist:

Capital flight fears from wealthy families moving assets abroad.
Talent vacuum concerns from skilled professionals leaving.
Risk of inequality widening, as only elites can access global mobility.

India must balance global engagement with domestic opportunity creation:

Support startups
Improve infrastructure
Expand R&D
Strengthen education & healthcare access

Future of residency competition

As India’s middle and upper classes grow, more families will explore residency abroad. Simultaneously, countries facing demographic decline will double down on attracting migrants.

Key success factors for residency programmes:

Quality of life
Stability
Education & healthcare
Cultural acceptance

Toward a balanced global role

Residency programmes highlight a new dimension of 21st-century soft power.

For India, the rising demand for its capital and talent reflects its growing global status. By engaging strategically with countries courting Indian investors and professionals, India can:

Advance economic interests
Expand diplomatic goodwill
Strengthen global partnerships

Conclusion

Residency and Golden Visa programmes are no longer just personal choices for wealthy or skilled Indians. They form part of a global competition where countries seek to attract resources, ideas, and influence.

For India, this reflects both:

Opportunities: Expanding soft power, strengthening global influence.
Challenges: Brain drain, capital flight, inequality.

Ultimately, the growing global demand for Indian talent and capital signals a new era—where the passport and residency card are not just travel documents but instruments of international power and diplomacy.

(Varun Singh is MD, XIPHIAS Immigration. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication.)