A total of 388 Indian nationals have been deported from the US since January 2025, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed Parliament on Friday.
Of these, 333 were sent back on three military flights in February, while 55 were deported through Panama on commercial flights. Singh stated that US immigration authorities have also provided details of 295 more Indians facing deportation, with verification underway.
The government reiterated its stand on illegal immigration while emphasizing the need for humane treatment of deportees. The issue was discussed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February. Both nations agreed to cooperate in tackling illegal immigration and human trafficking.
The first batch of 104 deportees arrived in Amritsar on February 5 aboard a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster. Reports of harsh treatment, including the use of shackles on women, sparked nationwide outrage. Singh confirmed that India has strongly protested such treatment to US authorities.
From 2009 to 2024, a total of 15,564 Indians have been deported by the US. The MoS clarified that Amritsar was chosen as a landing site for operational convenience and proximity to the deportees’ final destinations.
The government is currently verifying the details of detained individuals and has not ruled out sending its own aircraft to bring back those facing imminent deportation.