What happened?
Addressing a press conference on January 22, 2025, in Washington D.C., India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM), S. Jaishankar, clarified India’s stance on its citizens residing ‘illegally’ abroad. He stated that India is prepared to facilitate the fair and lawful return of its citizens living unlawfully in the United States or other countries. This statement comes in the context of EAM’s first bilateral meeting with the new U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on January 21, 2025, wherein the U.S. side flagged the issue of ‘irregular migration’ from India.
Why it matters to India
Having high stakes in promoting the ‘legal’ mobility of Indian talent and skill-based global workforce, EAM S. Jaishankar’s comments appear to signal the U.S. about India’s willingness to address the issue of illegal mobility and illegal migration. He insisted that India has always been open to the legitimate return of undocumented Indians, noting that New Delhi is still in the process of verifying those from the US who can be deported to India.