Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Jun 5: India has reiterated its commitment to addressing illegal immigration, stating that all foreign nationals residing in the country without legal authorization, including Bangladeshi citizens, will be dealt with in accordance with existing laws. The government emphasized that deportation proceedings will continue once Bangladesh confirms the nationality of the individuals concerned.
Speaking at the Ministry of External Affairs' weekly media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India follows a structured legal and bilateral process in handling such cases.
"Any foreign national found to be residing illegally in India is subject to the country's legal framework. In cases involving Bangladeshi nationals, their details are shared with the Bangladeshi authorities for nationality verification. Once their citizenship is confirmed, the deportation process is initiated under the existing bilateral arrangements," Jaiswal explained.
He noted that a significant number of verification requests remain pending with Bangladesh and expressed hope for a faster response from Dhaka.
"We expect the verification process to be expedited so that the return of individuals residing illegally in India can be carried out in an efficient and smooth manner," he said.
The remarks follow the government's recent statement that more than 2,680 suspected illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have been identified and their details forwarded to Bangladesh for confirmation of nationality.
According to Jaiswal, India cannot complete the deportation process until the citizenship status of these individuals is officially verified by Bangladeshi authorities.
"Over 2,680 cases have been referred to Bangladesh for nationality verification. Once confirmation is received, we will be in a position to repatriate these Bangladeshi nationals in accordance with the law," he stated.
The MEA spokesperson also pointed out that many of these verification requests have remained unresolved for several years, with some pending for more than five years. He urged Bangladesh to respond at the earliest so that both countries can implement the established bilateral mechanism for the return of individuals found to be residing illegally in India.
India maintains that the issue will continue to be handled through legal channels and in coordination with Bangladesh under the framework already agreed upon by the two neighboring nations.