From Dublin to California, a disturbing rise in attacks, prejudice and stereotyping against Indians shows eerie parallels with the Jewish diaspora of the last century
It is no longer surprising to see the rise in hostility against Indians, NRIs, and people of Indian origin across the globe. History offers a clue: Winston Churchill once called Indians “beastly people with a beastly religion,” while Richard Nixon dismissed them as “repulsive” and “sexless.” In 2000, Columbia economist Jagdish Bhagwati labelled Indians the “new Jews of America.” At the time, it sounded like flattery. Today, it feels prophetic, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Recent months have seen violent incidents across continents. In Ireland, India Day celebrations were cancelled after targeted assaults. In Australia, a young Indian student suffered brain trauma in a hate attack. In Canada, temple desecrations and Khalistani graffiti have multiplied, even as official data shows Indians disproportionately killed in hate crimes. In the U.S., Indians face chants of “go back to India,” accused simultaneously of “stealing jobs,” “scrounging welfare,” and “bringing caste oppression.”
Online, the digital street is no safer. On X (formerly Twitter), the slur “pajeet” trends freely, extremist forums call for “total pajeet death,” and even Indian-origin leaders face derision. Tulsi Gabbard, born in Hawaii, has been told to “go back to India.” Anti-India farms churn out content because Indian-related hate reliably generates clicks and profits. Campaigns like Dismantling Global Hindutva feed the narrative, cloaking old prejudices in academic language.
Indians abroad are increasingly becoming hyper-visible and hyper-vulnerable — successful in boardrooms, yet resented on the streets
Politics and the Caste Weapon
Caste has become the latest tool to stigmatise Indians in the West. From New York to California, “Brahmin privilege” is equated with white supremacy, while advocacy groups like Equality Labs drive aggressive campaigns in universities and workplaces. Reports, lawsuits, and anti-caste bills frame Indians not as victims of racism but as perpetrators of systemic oppression.
Why Now?
Three reasons stand out:
- Political disorganisation – Unlike Jewish, Muslim, or Black advocacy groups, Indians have shied away from building strong political lobbies. They became CEOs, doctors, and professors, but not power brokers.
- Liberal movements turning inward – Once allies of progressive causes, Indians now find themselves rebranded as casteist oppressors.
- Easy stereotypes – To the right, they are job-stealers and welfare scammers. To the left, they are patriarchal Hindu nationalists. Few counter these caricatures.
The Prophecy Fulfilled
When Bhagwati called Indians the “new Jews,” it hinted at their resilience and success. But like Jews in the last century, Indians are now vilified despite their achievements. The difference? Indians have yet to build the political, media, and cultural protections that helped Jews survive.
A Future Impossible to Ignore
India itself is no longer the weak colony Churchill derided. It is a rising giant, soon the third-largest economy, with a diaspora shaping technology, politics, and academia worldwide. The silence of the past will no longer suffice. Indians abroad will have to organise, speak up, and defend their place.
The world must reckon with a reality: the “ghulam log” once dismissed as subordinates are now global leaders — and their growing power cannot be wished away.
