Is India Becoming Just a Supplier of Cheap Labour to the World?

Supplier of Cheap Labour 

Recently, there has been news that countries like Israel, Russia, and Japan are hiring tens of thousands—sometimes even millions—of Indian workers for jobs abroad. On the surface, it might look like a win: Indian families receive remittance money, people get jobs, and the nation's foreign exchange reserves increase. But is this really the future we want for India?

Let’s face it: India is one of the youngest and most populous countries in the world. With so many young minds and so much talent, why are we accepting the role of “labour supplier to the world” instead of becoming a global centre for manufacturing, technology, and high-value innovation? Why is government policy not focused on creating opportunities at home, but instead, quietly facilitating an exodus of our workforce?

Short-term Gains, Long-term Problems

When Indian workers go abroad—whether to the Middle East, Israel, Russia, or elsewhere—they often take on low-paying, hard-labour jobs. The money they send home helps their families, but at what cost? Talented young people leave their country, families are separated, and society grows dependent on remittances instead of real, sustainable economic growth.

Sending workers abroad as a strategy does little to create lasting industries, infrastructure, or technological advancements in India. It also means that when global demand drops or other countries tighten immigration, millions of Indian families are at risk.

A Vision Problem, Not a Resource Problem

India has the resources and people to be much more than just a pool of cheap labour. Our youth should be building the next generation of technology, manufacturing, and research at home—not struggling in foreign lands under tough conditions. The government’s vision should be focused on creating high-quality jobs in India, supporting entrepreneurs, improving education, and investing in world-class infrastructure.

Instead, by relying increasingly on exporting low-cost labour, India risks becoming dependent, never climbing up the global value chain, and losing out on opportunities for true progress. "Make in India" rings hollow if all we’re making is a steady stream of passport applicants and migrant workers.

The Real Cost

This path ultimately weakens India’s position. It may bring in short-term foreign investment through remittances, but it fails to build strong domestic industries that employ people in high-value roles and keep India competitive on the world stage.

If the ambition for India is to become a fully developed nation, the focus must shift from exporting people to exporting products, technology, and ideas. Our leaders must dare to dream bigger, invest deeper, and create an India where opportunity exists at home.

If we want the world to respect us, we have to build our own success story—not just send our people away in search of one.

Some might even say this mass export of workers is not just an economic policy but a calculated political strategy. By encouraging the best and brightest to seek opportunities abroad, those in power are left with a population that can be more easily manipulated at home. When highly skilled, independent thinkers leave, it becomes much simpler to control those who remain—especially through religious dogma, divisive narratives, and sensational stories spread by social media and WhatsApp.

The result is a society distracted by manufactured conflicts, where critical thinking is drowned out by constant noise and hate-driven messaging. This environment allows leaders to escape real accountability for the lack of opportunities, underperforming industries, and widespread corruption. Instead of pushing for genuine improvement, the masses are kept preoccupied with stories designed to divide, while the cycle of exporting labour and importing remittances continues unchecked. This is not the path to a strong, independent, and truly developed nation.