This book is one of the first definitive and comprehensive expositions of emigration in contemporary India. It posits that India is currently witnessing a new phase of emigration that may last at least until year 2021, and argues that far-reaching changes in policies, legislation and institutional mechanisms are needed to optimize the gains from emigration.

Emigration in 21st-Century India is the first definitive exposition of contemporary Indian labour migration. The book provides a comprehensive appraisal of the policies, legislation and institutional architecture governing emigration at both federal and state levels. It posits that, geographically, emigration is now a more inclusive, pan-India phenomenon with many distinct features. It draws critical attention to the multiple dualities in Indian emigration, showing how the artificial distinction between a universal pravasi ('expatriate' or 'migrant') and a restricted aam pravasi ('common emigrant') distorts emigration governance. On the basis of extensive data from the Kerala Migration Survey (KMS) and National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) Rounds, it projects the emerging profile of the emigrant from new source states as also the likely number of migrants by 2021, drawing cross-country comparisons where appropriate. The work will be invaluable to scholars of migration and diaspora studies, economics, development studies and sociology, as well as policy makers, administrators, academics, and non-governmental organisations in the field.

'[A] rare example of thoughtful analysis of India's policy options built on solid empirical foundations.' - Devesh Kapur, Director, Center for the Advanced Study of India, University of Pennsylvania