External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday informed Parliament that a total of 2,25,620 people had renounced their Indian citizenship. The EAM mentioned that the lowest number was in the year 2020 when only 85,256 had renounced their citizenship in India.
According to available data, India has seen an upward rise in renouncing of citizenship from 2011. Jaishankar also informed that parliament that since 2011, a whopping 16 Lakh Indians had given up their citizenship.
- 2015 - 1,31,489 Indian renounced their citizenship
- 2016- 1,41,603 people gave it up
- 2017- 1,33,049 renounced2018- 1,34,561 people
- 2019-1,44,017 renounced their citizenship
- 2021 -1,63,370 surrendered
A look at the number will show that the number of people renouncing their Indian citizenship has only increased since 2015, with a sudden drop in 2020, which is the year the Covid-19 pandemic took over the world. The number reached a whopping 1.63 lakhs in 2021.
Jaishankar also mentioned the numbers as accounted for since 2011.
- 2011- 1,22,819 people gave up their citizenship
- 2012- 1,20,923 people renounced
- 2013- 1,31,405 people
- 2014- 1,29,328 people
The total number of Indians who gave up their Indian citizenship since 2011 comes to 16,63,440.
To a specific query, he said, according to information, five Indian nationals obtained the citizenship of the United Arab Emirates during the last three years.
While trends in securing work visa and permanent residency in countries like Canada and Australia seems be on the rise after they opened their borders following the Covid lockdown, Jaishankar provided a list of 135 countries whose citizenship Indians acquired.
To another question, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the government is aware of the issue of professionals having been laid off by US companies in recent months.
"Of these, a certain percentage is likely to be Indian nationals on H-1B and L1 visas. The government of India has consistently raised issues relating to the movement of high skilled workers, including IT professionals, with the US government," he said.
"It has also been working with various stakeholders, including industry organisations and business chambers on these issues," Muraleedharan said.