As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump lock horns in the US presidential election on Tuesday, a large group that would be affected by the outcome of this election would be the massive Indian diaspora that has moved to, and now is a part of the ‘land of the free’ under the star-spangled banner.

According to reports, The Indian-American Attitudes Survey (IAAS) 2024 indicated that 61% of Indian Americans supported Kamala Harris, while only 31% of them backed former president Donald Trump in the race.

Various surveys across the country have highlighted the most prominent issues that Indian Americans care for,  even though some of them lack voting rights, they strongly feel for them.

One such talking point has to be abortion rights, especially with the overturning of Roe vs Wade in 2022 that took away the constitutional right to abortion from women.

Kamala Harris has been vocal about the unfairness of the overturning.

For many of the questioned, the rights of minorities and women were of utmost importance.

Another factor favouring Harris is the progressive socio-economic reforms that she aims for, according to some members of the diaspora. The conservation of the environment, and sustainable and renewable energy, are the points the Indian diaspora strongly feels about.

Moreover, the stereotype of the USA’s expensive healthcare and relaxed gun laws isn’t lost on the Indian Americans. Many of them want affordable healthcare with better policies, and to get rid of the frequent news about school shootings.

Surprisingly, for many Indian Americans, Donald Trump reportedly embodies what they hate about politicians in India, making Kamala Harris an obvious choice.

Apart from these issues, the diaspora wants a ceasefire in Gaza on humanitarian grounds. For them, it’s sad to see their tax dollars funding a ‘genocide’, as one of them reportedly pointed out.

The Indian Immigrants also want better immigration laws and relaxation on H1-B conditions. For them, the system should not vilify the immigrants but should have a solid solution.

For some, Trump or Harris as individuals don’t matter though, as long as their issues are addressed. The agreement and disagreement of ideologies can take a backseat if the policies are beneficial to the general public.

Surprisingly, the diaspora was unanimous about India’s relationship with the US, regardless of the election winner, as they think that the US understands what India brings to the table, especially with the manpower, IT sector, medicine, and much more.

As the walls of the White House await a new resident, the key holder for one of the most powerful and influential democracies of the world, the Indian-Americans look forward to positive and progressive reforms in the land of opportunities.