India Concerned Over Treatment of Deported Nationals in US

A major US crackdown on illegal immigration has led to the deportation of more than 4,800 Indian nationals since 2025, as reported by Ministry of External Affairs with India closely tracking how its citizens are being treated and negotiating on their return. India has raised concerns with US authorities over how deportees are handled, especially after incidents that sparked public outrage. The maltreatment of 73-year-old Harjit Kaur last year and the shackling of women and children on a deportation flight in February led to formal protests from New Delhi. External affairs minister S Jaishankar told Parliament last December that the government has engaged US authorities to ensure deported Indians are not ill-treated. He stressed that women and children should not be restrained with handcuffs or chains during deportation flights. Officials say India follows a strict process before accepting deported individuals. “As and when such issues are referred to us, we conduct due diligence on our side to confirm the nationality of the person being referred for deportation. Once we are fully satisfied that the person concerned is of Indian nationality, only then we facilitate their return to India,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He added that India is working with multiple countries on deportation matters as part of ongoing coordination. The surge in deportations comes after the US administration intensified action against illegal migrants soon after President Donald Trump took office last year. Indians have been among those affected by this broader global crackdown. In 2025 alone, 3,567 Indian nationals were deported from the US — the highest figure in at least 16 years. For comparison, 734 Indians were deported in 2009, the last time such high numbers were recorded. The trend has continued this year as well.“The total number of Indians deported from the US to India in 2026, from January 1 till date, is 1,273. In 2025, a total of 3,567 Indian nationals were deported from the US,” Jaiswal said during a media briefing. Together, these numbers push the total deportations since 2025 past 4,800. Even as deportations remain a sensitive issue, India is also watching developments in the US on a separate front, a proposed bill that could impose steep tariffs on countries buying Russian energy. Responding to questions on the bill, Jaiswal said India is monitoring the situation closely. “On energy security, our position has been clarified and very well articulated on several occasions. It is something which is predicated on our national priorities and on securing the energy needs of our 1.4 billion people through diversified sources, which includes the US,” he said. “We remain engaged with relevant stakeholders in the US at various levels on this particular matter.” The bill, cleared by the US Senate with an 86–12 vote, proposes tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China. It also includes sanctions targeting Russian officials, financial institutions and the so-called “shadow fleet” transporting oil. India significantly increased its purchase of Russian crude after Western sanctions followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Russia remains one of India’s top energy suppliers, even as the US has pushed for a reduction in such imports.