The Formation of the Indian Diaspora in Lithuania: A Critical Perspective on Integration Discourse

Abstract

This article seeks to fill the knowledge gap about Indian migrants in Lithuania by analysing the emerging Indian diaspora. At the centre of the analysis are the dynamics of the Indian migrant community and the particular features of their interconnectedness. The article draws on and contributes to the critique of integration discourse, interpreting the dynamics of the Indian diaspora in Lithuania as a form of convivial disintegration (Meissner, Heil 2021). This concept is employed to describe both the divide between national and regional identification within the Indian community and the shared understanding of belonging that unites Indian migrants, highlighting the importance of building communal ties and reconstructing cultural practices in the context of migration, with particular emphasis on cultural activity.