DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY

Southeast Asia has witnessed migrations from the Indian sub-continent and China, and is culturally influenced by Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, and Islamic doctrines, ideologies, art, religion and philosophy of both regions. Malaysia and Singapore contain pockets (minorities) of Indian diaspora whose diverse races would be directly classified as Indians (Sandhu and Mani 1993).

Singapore has a significant Indian minority (8.7 per cent of resident population, 2005); Chinese (75.6 per cent), Malays (13.6 per cent), and other minorities make up the rest. The population composition is a demographic “laboratory” (Table 30.1). Ethnicity and language groups are enumerated in the national censuses and surveys in Singapore. Indians continue to practise their unique culture within a constitutional framework (Tamil is among the four recognized official languages).

The Indian resident population (citizens and permanent residents) constitutes 309,300 persons, according to the General Household Survey 2005, a mid-term census. The 1871 Population Census had enumerated some 11,500 Indians (or almost 12 per cent of total population) which declined to 6.4 per cent by 1980. In 2000, it increased to 7.9 per cent (of the resident population), constituting 8.7 per cent in 2005. The proportionate share of Indians is not expected to increase substantially within a policy on ethnic balance. Globalization may allow this component to 10 per cent in the next decades, since the diaspora will be sought for skills to fuel the economy.

During the colonial era, compared to the Chinese, Indians could visit their homeland and re-establish family ties (as of present-day workers and professionals). Most Singapore Indians are from third or fourth generations (Arasaratnam 1970). Globalization encourages human resource linkages, complementarities and skill transfers from the Indian sub-continent (Shantakumar 1995). Indians play a vital role in Southeast Asian economic development through the Singapore economy.

This chapter examines the Indian diaspora in Singapore and how the “rising India” ethos will promote linkages between India and Singapore, and through Singapore to entire East Asia. The ease with which Indian skills and capital is now moving into East Asia is a testimony to globalization of the Singapore economy and the regional economies as well.