Al Haqeeqa
by Muslim Mirror Staff
The External Affairs Minister of India, S Jaishankar, informed the Lok Sabha that a staggering number of 87,026 Indians have renounced their citizenship in the first half of 2023. This brings the total count of individuals relinquishing their Indian citizenship to over 17.50 lakh since 2011.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Friday, the minister disclosed the yearly figures of Indian nationals who chose to explore opportunities abroad and subsequently gave up their Indian citizenship.
According to the data, 2,25,620 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2022, followed by 1,63,370 in 2021, and 85,256 in 2020. The trend of Indians opting for foreign citizenship appears to have been steadily increasing over the last decade.
“The number of Indian nationals exploring the global workplace has been significant in the last two decades. Many of them have chosen to take up foreign citizenship for reasons of personal convenience,” the minister said.
He acknowledged that the Indian diaspora abroad has become a valuable asset to the nation and emphasized that the government has taken steps to engage and leverage this resource for the country’s benefit.
“A successful, prosperous and influential diaspora is an advantage for India and our approach is to tap diaspora networks and utilise its reputation for national gain,” he said.
Over the last two decades, the number of Indian nationals seeking opportunities in the global workplace has shown a marked increase, leading many to opt for foreign citizenship.
While the trend may raise concerns about potential brain drain, the minister’s statement suggests that the government sees the diaspora’s success and prosperity as a complementary asset to India’s growth.
