1,080 Indians deported or returned from the US since January this year, says MEA

Since January 2025, nearly 1,100 Indians have returned or have been deported from the United States, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at a press briefing MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said 1,080 Indians have returned to India since January this year, the same month that Donald Trump took over as the country's President.

“The update on the numbers is that since January 2025, we have 1,080 Indians who have returned or have been deported from the US,” he said.

“Of these, 62 per cent of them have come on commercial flights,” Jaiswal added.

The MEA spokesperson said that the Indian and the US governments share a ‘close cooperation’ over the migration issue and New Delhi takes back individuals who enter the country illegally.

“We have close cooperation between India and the US over migration issue. On deportation of Indian nationals who have an illegal status there, who travelled there illegally, we take them back once we receive details about them. We verify their nationalities as we have told you before, and only then we try to get them back,” he said.

India in touch with Iran for three missing persons: MEA

India is in touch with Iranian authorities for locating three Indian nationals who went missing in Iran, and is receiving good cooperation from the Iranian side, the MEA spokesperson said in the press briefing.

Jaiswal said that the ministry was extending all possible help to the family members of the three missing persons.

When asked about three Indians who went missing in Iran and whether the Indian Government is aware that incidents like these have been happening for the last few months and people have been receiving ransom calls from Pakistan, he said, “You would have seen a statement made by our embassy as well in Iran.”

“The three Indian nationals who had landed there some time back are missing, and we are in touch with the Iranian authorities to locate them for their safety and security and eventual return home,” he said.

Jaiswal revealed that Indian officials are in touch with their Iranian counterparts on the issue of the missing persons.

“We are in daily touch with the authorities there. We are receiving good cooperation from the Iranian side. And we are also in touch with the families. Obviously, family members in such situations have their own anxiety, etc. So, we are extending all possible help. Hopefully, we'll be able to do our best in this situation.”