External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, in a written reply, informed the Rajya Sabha that the US has deported 414 Indian nationals between January 1 and March 31, 2026, while more than 170 were sent back from other countries during the same period.
According to the data shared by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in response to a question in the Upper House on the deportation of Indian nationals from the United States, Mexico and European countries, the US recorded the highest number of deportations among individual countries, with 414 Indian nationals deported in the first three months of 2026.
Among European countries, 174 Indian nationals were deported during the period.
The United Kingdom recorded the highest number of deportations in Europe, with 57 Indians sent back, followed by Cyprus with 53 deportations.
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Other European countries that reported deportations during January-March 2026 included Greece (10), Turkiye (8), France (6), Italy (5), Germany (4), Sweden (4), the Netherlands (4), Belgium (3), Portugal (3), Romania (3), Serbia (3), Denmark (2), Austria (1), Poland (1), and Latvia (3).
{{/usCountry}}Other European countries that reported deportations during January-March 2026 included Greece (10), Turkiye (8), France (6), Italy (5), Germany (4), Sweden (4), the Netherlands (4), Belgium (3), Portugal (3), Romania (3), Serbia (3), Denmark (2), Austria (1), Poland (1), and Latvia (3).
{{/usCountry}}In total, 588 Indians were deported from the US and European countries from the period of January to March, 2026.
US deportations of Indians on the rise
The ministry's data also showed that the number of Indian nationals deported from the US had increased in recent years.
The United States deported 617 Indians in 2023, 1,368 in 2024 and 2,025 in 2025, before 414 deportations were recorded in the first quarter of 2026.
Among European countries, Cyprus and the United Kingdom recorded the highest number of deportations of Indian nationals during the period.
Cyprus deported 173 Indian nationals in 2023, 183 in 2024 and 164 in 2025, while the UK deported 98 Indians in 2023, 110 in 2024 and 156 in 2025, according to the MEA data.
The data showed that deportations from Cyprus remained consistently high over the three years, with a total of 520 Indian nationals sent back between 2023 and 2025. The United Kingdom accounted for 364 deportations during the same period.
Responding to the question, Jaishankar also informed the House about steps taken against illegal agents and fraudulent recruitment networks allegedly involved in luring Indian nationals with fake overseas job offers.
"As and when complaints against illegal agents/dubious firms luring Indian nationals in false recruitment offers through various channels are received, such matters are referred to the State police for investigation and prosecution under the relevant legal provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and other legislation in place," the EAM said.
It noted that the status of local prosecution in such cases is not maintained by the Ministry. However, said that "till October 2025, a total of 3,505 unregistered agents in the country have been notified on the eMigrate portal."
EAM stated that the ministry continues to issue advisories through the eMigrate portal, social media platforms and other publicity channels regarding the risks of fake job rackets and illegal migration routes.
The Ministry further conducts awareness programmes to inform stakeholders about emigration regulations, schemes such as the Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY), Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT), eMigrate services and advisories issued by Indian missions abroad.
It advised job seekers to "verify all antecedents of Recruiting Agents before accepting any kind of employment offer and not be enticed and entrapped in the fraudulent job offers."
On the rehabilitation of deported migrants, the EAM stated that "reintegration of returned Indian migrants rests with the State governments from where the emigrants belong."
EAM's reply comes in response to Congress MP Randeep Singh Surjewala's question in the Rajya Sabha on the "Deportation of Indian Nationals".
In another written reply to a question on legal assistance to Indian nationals detained abroad, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the Rajya Sabha that Indian Missions and Posts abroad provide financial assistance for legal aid to deserving Indian nationals in distress through the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) and noted that some families of Indians involved in legal cases overseas are advised to arrange lawyers and bear expenses related to legal proceedings.
"Families of Indian nationals are advised to arrange for lawyers and bear the expenditure on legal proceedings, including those involving missing or detained Indians abroad," Singh said in his reply.
However, the Ministry said Indian Missions and Posts provide support to those who are unable to afford legal assistance.
"Indian Missions/Posts provide financial aid for legal assistance on a means-tested basis to deserving Indian nationals in distress abroad under the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF)," his reply stated.
The assistance is provided to various categories of Indians facing difficulties overseas, including those involved in minor crimes, Indians detained in jails, students, migrant workers and Indian women in distress, the Ministry said.
The MEA further informed that several Indian Missions and Posts in countries with a significant Indian population maintain panels of lawyers to provide legal assistance to eligible individuals.
"Several Indian Missions/Posts with a sizeable population of Indian nationals maintain a panel of lawyers to provide legal assistance to deserving Indian nationals in distress on a means-tested basis," the Ministry said. (ANI)