MEA says no IAF aircraft used for immigrants' repatriation since 2020

The Ministry of External Affairs has not hired any IAF, chartered or commercial civilian aircraft for Indian immigrants' repatriation from any country since 2020, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.

Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita said this in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha by TMC MP Saket Gokhale.

The MEA was asked the details of all instances when the ministry has used Indian Air Force aircraft or chartered or commercial civilian aircraft for repatriation of Indian immigrants being deported from other countries between 2020 till date.

It also asked the details of countries that have used military aircraft for deporting Indian immigrants since 2020.

"The Ministry of External Affairs has not hired any Indian Air Force or Chartered/Commercial Civilian aircraft for the purposes of repatriation of Indian immigrants being deported from any country since 2020. However, in a few exceptional cases, Indian immigrants facing deportation were assisted to return home on means-tested basis through purchase of tickets on commercial flights," Margherita said.

The US has used military aircraft for deportation of Indian immigrants illegally resident in the US in 2025. Since 2009, the US government used chartered or commercial aircraft for the deportation of 15,564 such Indian nationals, he said.

Around 388 Indian nationals have been deported from the US since January 2025, the government informed Parliament on March 21.

Of these, 333 were deported directly from the US on three separate military flights in February.

Also, the US deported 55 Indian nationals through Panama in commercial flights, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had said in a written response in Lok Sabha.

From 2009 to 2024, a total of 15,564 Indian nationals have been deported by the US to India, the government said in its response earlier.