Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 28: Despite strict immigration measures in the United States, Saudi Arabia has deported more Indian nationals than the US, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) revealed in a written reply.

Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that deportations abroad primarily occur due to visa overstays, working without permits, labour law violations, absconding from employers, or pending civil or criminal cases, rather than illegal border crossings.

Data from the Indian Mission in Riyadh shows that Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of deportations of Indians globally from 2021 to 2025: 8,887 in 2021, 10,277 in 2022, 11,486 in 2023, 9,206 in 2024, and 7,019 so far in 2025.

In contrast, Indian deportations from the United States remained significantly lower. According to MEA data, the Washington DC mission reported 805 deportations in 2021, 862 in 2022, 617 in 2023, 1,368 in 2024, and 3,414 in 2025. Other US missions, including New York, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta, and Chicago, reported deportations in double digits or low hundreds. Most US deportations were from Washington DC (3,414) and Houston (234).

Other countries deporting notable numbers of Indians include Myanmar (1,591), UAE (1,469), Bahrain (764), Malaysia (1,485), Thailand (481), and Cambodia (305).

The MEA emphasised that the government prioritises the safety and well-being of Indian nationals abroad, and missions actively coordinate with host countries for rescue and repatriation efforts.