1.7 million Indians gave up citizenship since 2014, MEA tells Rajya Sabha

Parliament data show a post-pandemic rise in citizenship renunciations, alongside fresh details on grievances filed by Indians living overseas

A growing number of Indians have been renouncing their citizenship, with official data showing a rise after the Covid-19 disruption, following nearly a decade of relatively stable numbers.

 

Data presented to Parliament during the Winter Session shows that 2.06 million Indians gave up their citizenship between 2011 and 2024. For much of this period, annual figures moved within a narrow band, largely between 120,000 and 145,000.

 

Year-wise data tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh shows that renunciations increased gradually from 122,819 in 2011 to 144,017 in 2019 — a rise of about 17 per cent over eight years. The data from this period does not show any sharp inflection point.

 

The pandemic year marked a clear break. In 2020, the number of Indians surrendering citizenship fell to 85,256, a drop of nearly 41 per cent from 2019, reflecting international travel restrictions, consular closures and delays in the processing of foreign citizenship applications.

 

The decline was followed by a rebound once restrictions eased. In 2021, renunciations rose to 163,370, an increase of about 92 per cent from the 2020 low, taking the number back above pre-pandemic levels. Compared with 2019, however, the rise in 2021 was more modest, at around 13 per cent.

 

The increase became more pronounced in 2022, when 225,620 Indians gave up citizenship — about 57 per cent higher than in 2019. The figures eased slightly thereafter, falling by around 4 per cent in 2023 and a further 5 per cent in 2024. Even with this moderation, renunciations in 2024 were still about 43 per cent higher than in the year before the pandemic.

 

The Ministry of External Affairs has said it does not maintain information on the income profile or occupations of individuals who surrender Indian citizenship.

 

Number of Indians who renounced citizenship (2011–2024)

 

206,378 in 2024

216,219 in 2023

225,620 in 2022

163,370 in 2021

85,256 in 2020

144,017 in 2019

134,561 in 2018

133,049 in 2017

141,603 in 2016

131,489 in 2015

129,328 in 2014

131,405 in 2013

120,923 in 2012

122,819 in 2011

 

What complaints are Indians living abroad raising?

 

In a separate reply on grievances raised by Indians overseas, Singh said the ministry had received 16,127 complaints during 2024–25. These were filed through the government’s online grievance systems, with 11,195 cases coming through the MADAD portal and 4,932 through CPGRAMS.

 

Saudi Arabia reported the highest number of distress cases at 3,049, followed by the UAE with 1,587 complaints. Other countries reporting large numbers included Malaysia (662), the United States (620), Oman (613), Kuwait (549), Canada (345), Australia (318), the UK (299), and Qatar (289).

 

India has a “robust and multi-channel mechanism” to deal with such grievances, Singh said, noting emergency helplines, walk-in facilities, social media outreach and round-the-clock multilingual support. Most cases are resolved through direct contact with complainants, mediation with employers, and coordination with local authorities abroad, he said. Delays in a small number of cases, he added, were linked to incomplete information, lack of cooperation from employers, and limits on the role of Indian missions when matters are before foreign courts.