225k Indians renounced citizenship in 2022: Govt

A total of 225,620 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2022, the highest in the past 12 years, and 1.66 million people have given up their nationality since 2011, according to figures provided by the government in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The figures were given by external affairs minister S Jaishankar in a written reply to a question from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmaker Narain Dass Gupta, who sought the number of Indians who relinquished their citizenship and the countries whose citizenship they had adopted.

Jaishankar’s reply provided year-wise figures for Indians who renounced their citizenship since 2011. For the period from 2011 to 2019, the annual figure ranged between 120,000 and 144,000, before falling to 85,256 in 2020 (on account of the Covid pandemic which curbed movement).

In 2021, the figure almost doubled to 163,370, before rising again to 225,620 in 2022, the minister said in his written reply.

Citing information available with the external affairs ministry, Jaishankar said 122,819 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2011, 120,923 in 2012, 131,405 in 2013, 129,328 in 2014, 131,489 in 2015, 141,603 in 2016, 133,049 in 2017, 134,561 in 2018, 144,017 in 2019, 85,256 in 2020, 163,370 in 2021 and 225,620 in 2022.

The written answer included a list of 135 countries whose citizenship was acquired by Indians. The list didn’t give specific numbers for each country or specify the period during which these nations had granted citizenship to Indians.

In reply to a specific query from Gupta, Jaishankar said five Indian nationals obtained citizenship of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the past three years.

In a written response to a separate question from Gupta, minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan said specific data on the number of businessmen and professionals who have settled abroad during the past four years is not available.

“There are no restrictions on Indian nationals regarding travelling to foreign countries for tourism or employment. Some of them settle down in their country of employment and acquire foreign nationality for personal reasons,” he said in his reply.

Muraleedharan added that the government has brought about a “transformational change” in its engagement with the Indian diaspora around the world. “A successful, prosperous, and influential diaspora is an asset for India. India stands to gain a lot from tapping its diaspora networks and productive utilisation of the soft power that comes from having such a flourishing diaspora.”

The government’s efforts are also aimed at harnessing the diaspora potential, including through transfer of technology and expertise, he added.