New Delhi: Until June of this year, the count of Indians who renounced their citizenship reached 87,026, and since 2011, more than 1.75 million individuals have chosen to give up their Indian citizenship.
In a session of the Lok Sabha on Friday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar revealed that the numbers for citizenship renunciations were as follows: 2,25,620 in 2022, 1,63,370 in 2021, 85,256 in 2020, 1,44,017 in 2019, 1,34,561 in 2018, 1,33,049 in 2017, 1,41,603 in 2016, 1,31,489 in 2015, 1,29,328 in 2014, 1,31,405 in 2013, 1,20,923 in 2012, and 1,22,819 in 2011.
S Jaishankar pointed out that the last two decades have seen a significant number of Indian nationals exploring global opportunities. Many of them have opted to become foreign citizens for their personal convenience.
Jaishankar acknowledged the Indian community abroad as an asset to the country, highlighting the government’s transformative approach to engaging with the diaspora. He emphasized that a successful and influential diaspora can be advantageous for India, and the government aims to leverage diaspora networks for national benefits.
Referring to the numbers, a substantial figure of 7,88,284 Indians relinquished their citizenship in 2021, showcasing the continuing pursuit of the “American dream,” according to data from the Ministry of External Affairs.
Following the US, Australia held the second position with 23,533 individuals giving up Indian citizenship, trailed by Canada (21,597), and the UK (14,637).
A notable number of Indians also decided to become citizens of other countries, such as Italy (5,986), New Zealand (2,643), Singapore (2,516), Germany (2,381), the Netherlands (2,187), Sweden (1,841), and Spain (1,595).
According to a UN report, among the top 20 destinations for international migrants in 2020, the majority were high-income or upper-middle-income nations. The largest group of Indians, with a population exceeding four million, reside in the US. Gulf countries like the UAE (3.5 million) and Saudi Arabia (2.5 million) follow suit in terms of Indian population abroad.
