New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday confirmed that 2,417 Indian nationals have been deported or repatriated from the United States since January 2025. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal underlined India’s consistent opposition to illegal migration, stressing that the government is committed to promoting safe and legal avenues for migration.
“The number of deportations that have happened from the United States since January stands at 2,417. We want to promote legal pathways of migration. India stands against illegal migration,” Jaiswal said at the weekly media briefing.
Explaining India’s process of verifying deportation cases, he noted that individuals found without legal status abroad are taken back after due checks. “Whenever such cases come to us with documentation, we verify the nationality, confirm the background, and then accept them back,” he said.
On fraudulent practices linked to illegal migration, Jaiswal said the government has been actively cracking down on agents and networks that mislead people with false promises. “We want to see how best we can clamp down on illegal migration because it undermines our efforts to promote legal migration,” he said, adding that advisories are regularly issued warning Indians about dubious job offers, particularly in parts of Southeast Asia.
Jaiswal also highlighted ongoing cooperation with U.S. authorities on migration matters. He said India has worked closely with Washington to facilitate the deportation of Indians without legal status. Updating earlier figures shared on May 29, the spokesperson revealed that around 1,080 Indians had been deported from the U.S. since January, with about 62 percent returning on commercial flights.
Alongside migration issues, Jaiswal also addressed concerns of Indian students. Commenting on recent reports of revised U.S. guidance for Student and Exchange Visitor visa applicants, he said, “The welfare of Indian students abroad is of utmost priority. While visa issuance remains a sovereign decision, we hope applications of Indian students will be considered on merit so they can join their academic programs on time.”
The MEA’s statements underscore India’s two-pronged approach: discouraging illegal migration while safeguarding the interests of its citizens who pursue legal opportunities abroad.
