- About 22,900 Indians were deported worldwide in 2025 due to invalid visas or documents
- The United States deported 3,806 Indians, with Houston having the highest number at 234
- Saudi Arabia deported 13,256 Indians, mainly from Jeddah and Riyadh
About 22,900 Indians were deported from countries around the world in 2025 due to invalid visas or improper documentation, according to data provided by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in response to a question in Parliament.
Of these, 3,806 Indians were deported from the United States.
The data showed that in the US, Houston recorded the highest number of deportations at 234, followed by San Francisco (49), New York (47), and Atlanta and Seattle with 31 each.
Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, who raised the question, told NDTV that most deported individuals are young people from Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, western Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.
On X, he wrote, “Our youth were met with handcuffs, on flights to foreign lands… Why are our young forced to flee the country?”
Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of deportations, sending back 8,921 Indians from Jeddah and 4,335 from Riyadh.
The United Arab Emirates followed, with 7,896 deportations from Dubai and 1,662 from Abu Dhabi.
Other countries include Malaysia, which sent back 1,675 Indians, and Myanmar, with 1,605. Singapore deported 300 individuals, the Maldives 150, and the United Kingdom 70.
Surjewala said most deported individuals pay up to Rs 50 lakh to agents, often mortgaging their property, only to be sent back without achieving their intended goal. He called on the government to address this issue more effectively.
The MEA said that it is in talks with countries worldwide, especially the US, citing concerns that deportees are often sent back in handcuffs. The ministry added that it has been repeatedly urging the US government to take humanitarian considerations into account during deportation procedures.
