Recent government data presented in Parliament reveals that deportations of Indian nationals over the past five years have been predominantly linked to labor and visa infractions, particularly from Saudi Arabia. This pattern starkly contrasts with removals from the United States, as highlighted by figures tabled by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The data suggests serious migration-related violations primarily in the Gulf region, where issues like visa overstays and labor law breaches are more common than illegal border crossings.
In a written response dated December 18, 2025, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh noted that while many countries do not regularly share information about detentions, the deportation figures released through Emergency Certificates provide a reliable measure of enforcement actions against Indian nationals abroad.
Data from the Indian Mission in Riyadh indicates significant numbers of deportations from Saudi Arabia over the years: 8,887 in 2021, 10,277 in 2022, 11,486 in 2023, 9,206 in 2024, and 7,019 so far in 2025. Officials attribute these high numbers to Saudi Arabia’s strict enforcement of residency rules and labor reforms, along with regular crackdowns on visa overstays. A senior official highlighted that ongoing deportations are largely due to visa overstays, unauthorized work, and violations of residency norms.
Conversely, deportations from the United States have remained relatively low despite increasing discussions around immigration enforcement. MEA data for Washington D.C. indicates the following deportation figures: 805 in 2021, 862 in 2022, 617 in 2023, 1,368 in 2024, and 3,414 in 2025. Other U.S. missions, including those in San Francisco and New York, reported deportation numbers that mostly remained in the double digits or low hundreds. Most cases involved visa overstays rather than mass detentions, with many Indian nationals having valid travel documents, which decreased the necessity for Emergency Certificates.
The MEA outlined various factors contributing to deportations, including overstaying visas, working without permits, and violations of local labor laws. The government has emphasized its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian nationals abroad, with embassies actively collaborating with host countries to facilitate due process and timely repatriation.
To combat illegal migration and associated fraud, the government has taken steps such as issuing advisories against fake job rackets, enhancing the e-Migrate portal, establishing 24/7 helplines, and launching the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C). As of October 2025, over 3,505 recruiting agents were registered on the e-Migrate portal, with actions taken to deactivate non-compliant operators.
The overall trend indicates that Saudi Arabia remains the primary source of deportations of Indian nationals, reflecting a pattern driven by labor migration rather than asylum claims or illegal border crossings.
Original Source: https://www.firstpost.com/india/not-the-us-this-country-deported-the-most-indians-over-the-past-five-years-13963402.html
Category: India
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Publish Date: 2025-12-28 09:03:00
