The issue gained attention recently after American authorities repatriated a 73-year-old Sikh woman from Punjab who had lived in the US for three decades
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. File pic
Over 2,400 Indian nationals have been deported from the United States (US) since January, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.
The issue gained attention recently after American authorities repatriated Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old Sikh woman from Punjab who had lived in the US for three decades.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India opposes illegal migration while promoting legal pathways for people mobility.
“The US has deported a total of 2,417 Indian nationals between January 20 and September 25,” he said, referring also to the case of Kaur.
“Once the Indian nationality of any person, who is in any country without legal status, is proved, they are taken back. This is also the case with the US,” Jaiswal said.
He added, “We want to promote legal pathways for migration. At the same time, India stands against illegal migration. Whenever there is a person without legal status in any country who is referred to us, we do a background check and confirm the nationality. Once confirmed, we are in a position to take them back. This is what has been happening with deportations from the US.”
On visa fraud and other such cases, he said, “We want to promote legal migration from India, while clamping down on illegal migration, which undermines our efforts.”
According to news agency PTI, Jaiswal also noted that the Indian government is working with state authorities to tackle those promoting illegal migration and visa frauds.
India calls NATO chief's claims on PM Modi ‘entirely baseless’
India on Friday described as “entirely baseless” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s remarks suggesting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi contacted Russian President Vladimir Putin to seek a strategy on Ukraine, allegedly due to the impact of US punitive tariffs on India for its energy ties with Moscow, news agency PTI reported.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “Speculative or careless remarks that misrepresent Modi’s engagements or suggest conversations that never occurred are unacceptable.”
On India’s continued procurement of Russian crude oil, he added, “There cannot be any double standards in this matter,” noting that US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks appeared critical of the EU and NATO nations for their energy ties with Russia.
Rutte told CNN on the margins of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in New York that Trump's tariffs on India are having a "big impact" on Russia and New Delhi is on the phone with Putin.
"And Narendra Modi is asking him to explain his strategy on Ukraine because India is being hit with tariffs," the NATO chief claimed.
(With ANI and PTI inputs)
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