NEW DELHI: Over 17.50 lakh Indians have renounced their citizenship between 2011 and June 2023, according to data tabled by the Ministry of External Affairs in the parliament.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the Lok Sabha on Friday that as many as 87,026 Indian nationals have renounced their citizenship till June this year.
He also cited that 2.25 lakh Indians renounced their citizenships in 2022, 1.63 lakh in 2021, 85,256 in 2020; 1.44 lakh in 2019; 1.34 lakh in 2018; 1.33 lakh in 2017; 1.41 lakh in 2016; 1.31 lakh in 2015; 1.29 lakh in 2014; 1.31 lakh in 2013; 1.20 lakh in 2012 and 1.22 lakh in 2011.
According to the minister, many of them have taken up foreign citizenship due to personal convenience. "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.
Recognising that the Indian community abroad is an asset to the nation, Jaishankar said, the government has brought about a transformational change in its engagement with the diaspora.
"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.
"The government is cognizant of this development and has undertaken a range of initiatives around the 'Make in India' scheme that would harness their talents at home," Jaishankar informed the House.
Sharing the names of countries whose citizenship is being acquired by Indians, the minister further said that there are 135 countries wherein Indians are seeking citizenship. This includes the US, the UK, Australia, Belgium, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Canada, Denmark, Fiji, Ghana, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Japan, Russia, Poland, South Africa, Spain and the UAE among others.
Interestingly, Indians are also taking up citizenship in countries like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, Jordon, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Qatar, Serbia, Sudan, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda, and Vietnam.
Yearwise data on Indians renouncing citizenship
2022 - 2,25,620
2021 - 1,63,370
2020- 85,256
2019- 1,44,017
2018- 1,34,561
2017- 1,33,049
2016- 1,41,603
2015 - 1,31,489
2014- 1,29,328
2013- 1,31,405
2012 - 1,20,923
2011 - 1,22,819