Indians in Singapore have come to form a large part of the population compared to the number of original Singaporeans. Interestingly, the large population of Indian expatriates and those born in Singapore has greatly impacted positively to the overall growth of the Singaporean economy; and most importantly the population. The original influx of Indians to Singapore was largely triggered by civil unrest in Indian itself. This forced a number of people to flee their homes for the safety of nearby Singapore. Some of the major reasons for the influx of the Indian population in Singapore include:
Skilled Workers
India has a large economy and well-developed industries that produce well-trained experts and skilled workers. Therefore, due to high unemployment rates and a huge population, Indians have come to Singapore to look for work and escape poverty. Singapore, on the other hand, is a developing country with a less skilled populace that has to import expertise from outside their borders to stimulate the economy. This explains the huge population of Indians in Singapore
Population
Indians in Singapore form part of the majority of the population which is not entirely Singaporean. It is a mixture of different groups including Mulay and Banglar. Singapore has no strong ancestral ties and thus the influx of other nationalities has formed a huge multi-national population. More Indians have established homes and permanent residences in Singapore due to its close proximity and unrestricted free entry into Singapore.
Multinationals and Foreign Recruiters
India has many large industries and multinational companies that have established subsidiaries in Singapore. These multinationals recruit workers (mostly Indians) from home before deploying them to Singapore. This has also largely contributed to the influx of Indian workers and expatriates (One Visa), in the various industries and companies within Singapore. Indians form a big percentage of workers, both skilled and non-skilled, in the factories and manufacturing plants.
Visa Restriction
Being a neighboring country to Singapore, Indians have been accorded less restricted visa entry requirements. Sudden surges of immigrants into Singapore have been witnessed over the years for various reasons. However, the non-restricted visa entry requirements have greatly encouraged a rise in migration of Indians into Singapore for work-related engagements. Apart from Visa entry points within Singapore, porous borders have also enabled more Indians to come to Singapore.
Negative publicity
Despite the hard work and various engagement by the Indian population in Singapore, Singapore nationals have raised concerns about the influx of Indians into the country. Indians have been accused of taking up jobs meant for Singaporeans. In almost all sectors, you will not be able to miss Indians, and more so in businesses. Indians send huge sums of money home for development and family support. This has caused tension and animosity between the nationals and foreign Indians.
Conclusion
Indians form a large part of the overall Singapore population and it will be impossible to kill their interests or even stop them from expanding. The best idea is to embrace them and co-exist with them.
