New Delhi, Aug 26 - Indian diplomats should engage pro-actively with overseas Indian communities in their host countries and enhance India's sphere of influence in emerging economies, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said here Wednesday.

Addressing the heads of missions, Ravi said: 'You must recognize the overseas Indian community as a strategic resource for inclusive and effective engagement. Several overseas Indians, individually and collectively and some overseas Indian institutions have grown in stature and today constitute strong allies in articulating India's strategic interests'.

He urged Indian mission heads to 'transform the overseas community into an effective resource through sustained and consummate engagement to further India's interests'.

He warned that India was 'in real danger of losing that sphere of influence to other countries or other expatriate groups'.