# Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs

The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) was a ministry of the Government of India. It was dedicated to all matters relating to the Indian diaspora around the world.

## History

Ministry was established in May 2004 as the Ministry of Non-Resident Indians' Affairs. It was renamed as the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) in September 2004.
Positioned as a ‘Services’ Ministry, it provided information, partnerships and facilitations for all matters related to Overseas Indians: Non-Resident Indian and Person of Indian Origin.
The Ministry was merged with the Ministry of External Affairs on 7 January 2016. The government said that the decision was taken in line with government's "overall objective of minimizing government and maximizing governance" and that it will help the government address duplication as well as unnecessary delays.

## Structure

The Ministry had four functional service divisions to handle its services:
* Diaspora Services
* Financial Services
* Emigration Services
* Management Services
The first two divisions were headed by Joint Secretaries. The Protector General of Emigrants (PGoE) headed the Overseas Employment Services Division. The Social Services Unit and the Management Services Unit were staffed with officers of the rank of Deputy Secretary. The Information Services Unit was headed by Senior Technical Director (NIC).
The ministry also sponsored the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (Non-resident Indian Day) established in 2003, when it also instituted the annual Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.

## Cabinet Ministers

* Note: MoS, I/C – Minister of State (Independent Charge)
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| Minister of Non-Resident Indian Affairs |||||||||||
| 1 | | | Jagdish Tytler (born 1944) MP for Delhi Sadar (MoS, I/C) | 23 May 2004 | 9 September 2004 | 109 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs |||||||||||
| (1) | | | Jagdish Tytler (born 1944) MP for Delhi Sadar (MoS, I/C) | 9 September 2004 | 10 August 2005 | 335 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| – | | | Manmohan Singh (born 1932) Rajya Sabha MP for Assam (Prime Minister) | 10 August 2005 | 18 November 2005 | 100 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 2 | | | Oscar Fernandes (1941–2021) Rajya Sabha MP for Karnataka (MoS, I/C) | 18 November 2005 | 29 January 2006 | 72 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 3 | | | Vayalar Ravi (born 1937) Rajya Sabha MP for Kerala | 29 January 2006 | 22 May 2009 | 8 years, 117 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan I | | Manmohan Singh |
| 3 | | | Vayalar Ravi (born 1937) Rajya Sabha MP for Kerala | 28 May 2009 | 26 May 2014 | 8 years, 117 days | Indian National Congress | Manmohan II | | Manmohan Singh |
| 4 | | | Sushma Swaraj (1952–2019) MP for Vidisha | 26 May 2014 | 7 January 2016 | 1 year, 226 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| Ministry disestablished in 2016 |||||||||||

## Ministers of State

| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| No. | Portrait | Portrait | Minister (Birth-Death) Constituency | From | To | Period | Political party | Ministry | Prime Minister | Prime Minister |
| 1 | | | General V. K. Singh (Retd.) PVSM AVSM YSM ADC (born 1950) MP for Ghaziabad | 26 May 2014 | 7 January 2016 | 1 year, 226 days | Bharatiya Janata Party | Modi I | | Narendra Modi |
| Ministry disestablished in 2016 |||||||||||