Transnational Roles of Indian Civil Society

Christopher Cannell, a master’s student from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland has been researching the “Transnational Roles of Indian Civil Society Organisations” at PRIA. He presented his preliminary research findings at a seminar at PRIA on 22 July 2012.

As of 2009, there are 3.3 million NGOS registered in India, some of whom have begun to work abroad. “Transnational Roles of Indian Civil Society Organisations” aims to find and analyse these links of Indian civil society organisations working abroad.  Where are they working outside India? Do they bring anything unique to global development cooperation? Why are these organisations working abroad?  What kind of work are they doing? These questions are interesting to explore especially in light of the newly constituted Development Partnership Administration (DPA) by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India to manage India’s development cooperation programme to other developing countries. Should there be a link between civil society and the government working abroad? If so, what can be done to streamline such a process?  How will all these changes affect Indian civil society?

Being a student of international relations, Christopher is using a foreign policy framework to understand the transnational roles of Indian civil society. States have the largest amount of power, which can be hard power or soft power. Soft power is the power of attraction or how much you can get others to like you. Powers of attraction is how people see you, your values, culture and political practices (democratic norms). Engaging with civil society can greatly enhance a state’s soft power. India is one of the few emerging powers that allows civil society to challenge the state. This adds to India’s soft power.

The research currently profiles 13 civil society organisations (CSOs), of which 9 organisations were interviewed, and analyses 14 projects in 11 countries. Undoubtedly, the study sample is too narrow for a subject this broad. However, tentative findings and conclusions can be drawn.

Indian CSOs are currently engaged in countries that are friendly to India, primarily in South Asia, South-East Asia, East Africa, Southern Africa and West Africa. These are countries where the Government of India has strategic importance to engage with governments (South Asia) and to tap growing markets (Africa). The main reasons for working in these countries are linguistic ease (Anglophone Africa and South Asia are also English speaking nations), developmental similarities and geographical proximity.

The organisations are primarily engaged in knowledge generation and advocacy, and technical support and capacity building. Very few undertake direct implementation of social sector projects (health, education, sanitation) among communities. Indian CSOs have greater experience in rights based advocacy; also, more resources are required for direct implementation. Indian expertise lies in using limited resources for rights based advocacy.

The organisations who undertake transnational roles are motivated by globalization (with the macro affecting the micro in greater ways), view links with CSOs in other countries as creating a constituency, see a role which they can fill, and aim to influence the global development discourse. Democracy and governance lead to rights based development, which has been an important contribution of Indian civil society in India’s development trajectory. Microfinance/financial inclusion interventions such as formation of SHGs lead to women’s empowerment. South-South cooperation with African civil society is seen as better than INGO diktats from the North.

The work of the Development Partnership Administration (DPA) of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, which manages India’s development cooperation programme to other developing countries, has some synergies with the work of Indian civil society. Water sharing agreements with Bangladesh tie in with environmental training of government officers conducted by CSOs. Dairy cooperation with Namibia is associated with dairy sector work by civil society in Zambia, a neighbour of Namibia. Civil society and DPA engage in peace initiatives in Pakistan, and build houses (post-disaster reconstruction) in Sri Lanka.

The main motivation for government through the DPA is to enhance India’s soft power and build transparency. The democratic deficit of foreign policy can be alleviated by facilitating a free and critical civil society. It helps build India’s image as a Southern state with an effective development voice. The humanitarian work under the aegis of the UN can help to bolster India’s Security Council ambitions.

On completion, the research will make some concrete suggestions for building government-civil society partnership in transnational work.