What would a “Brexit” mean for India…and Indians in Britain?
As I have not written anything about the Brexit, I thought I would combine it with our current examination of India. What effects would an “out” vote have on Indian society? Due to their past relations, the UK and India enjoy a strong business relationship today. Many Indian companies have operations in Britain and view the UK as the “springboard to Europe”. Similar systems of government and commerce make Britain a very comfortable place for Indian investors to establish themselves and consequently look for expansion into mainland Europe.
This evoked some interesting questions for me:
What percentage of Brexit voters are either Indian or of Indian heritage? It is estimated that there approximately 1.2 million eligible voters of Indian origin in the coming referendum. According to the British Election Survey, over 50% of these voters are expected to reject a Brexit.
Which way are they going to vote and why? One E-newspaper in India began an article by saying that Indians (living in Britain) would not support a Brexit for the same reasons they did not vote for the Tories in the last election: they are young, highly educated, entrepreneurial, and forward-looking. Indians tend to view Europe as an economic trading bloc, and not a political organization. There are over 800 Indian-based companies in the UK, and it is easy to imagine the fear they may have of potential instability after a possible Brexit. Many of these companies have large workforces in the UK and provide services to Europe, with Indian IT firms being the most vulnerable. If I was an Indian working in Britain, why would I vote for a Brexit that could possibly cost me my job? The ethnic minority vote, with its “don’t rock the boat” policy, could have a huge impact on the referendum if voter turnout is strong.
Sources:
http://www.livemint.com/Opinion/NVYj7jO9MvDu6iWcJBoiwK/Why-Indians-wont-vote-for-Brexit.html
