Over 18 Lakh Indians Renounced Citizenship In 13 Years, Opted for 135 Countries: MEA Data

More than 18 lakh Indians have given up their citizenship in the last 13 years, opting for the nationality of 135 countries, according to data presented by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the Rajya Sabha.

Popular choices include the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, but some have also opted for countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, which lag behind India in development and influence.

The data revealed that a record 2,25,620 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2022, followed by 2,16,219 in 2023. Between 2015 and 2023 alone, more than 12 lakh Indians made this choice. 

The MEA attributed the trend to personal reasons, stating, “The reason for renouncing or taking citizenship are personal. The government recognises the potential of the global workplace in an era of knowledge economy. It has also brought about a transformational change in its engagement with Indian diaspora.”

Despite the rise, the lowest figure of citizenship renouncements—85,256—was recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The MEA also reported that 13 million Indian nationals, spanning labourers to professionals, currently live abroad.

At present, dual citizenship is not permitted as per the provisions of Article 9 of the Constitution of India, and Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

To cater to the diaspora, the government introduced the Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) scheme in 2005.

While OCI registration offers certain benefits, it does not grant the rights of full Indian citizenship under Article 16 of the Constitution.

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