NEW DELHI: In the past five years, nearly one million Indians have renounced their citizenship, with annual figures consistently surpassing 200,000 since 2022, according to government data presented in Parliament. This rising trend has sparked renewed debate about why an increasing number of Indians, especially the wealthy and highly skilled, are choosing to give up their Indian passports.
In response to a question raised by Congress MP KC Venugopal in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) revealed that 2.06 lakh Indians renounced their citizenship in 2024, following 2.16 lakh in 2023 and 2.25 lakh in 2022. This comes after 1.63 lakh renunciations in 2021, and just 85,256 in 2020—the lowest in a decade due to Covid-related disruptions. From 2011 to 2024, over 20.6 lakh Indians have given up their citizenship, with nearly half of these occurring in the last five years, according to the data shared in the ongoing winter session.
Venugopal asked the government if it had studied the reasons behind the surge in renunciations and what measures were being taken to curb the trend, particularly among younger Indians. Opposition leaders have also raised concerns, describing it as an “exit of the successful” from India. Prominent figures like TMC MP Mahua Moitra have previously questioned whether the exodus reflects a healthy economic or tax environment. Moitra has pointed to an “atmosphere of terror,” allegedly created by investigations from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), often targeting opposition leaders and businessmen, as a contributing factor.
Sanjaya Baru, former media adviser to PM Manmohan Singh, in his book Secession of the Successful, noted that India is undergoing a fourth wave of emigration, characterized by the departure of high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), their families, and elite professionals. Citing Morgan Stanley data, Baru highlighted that approximately 23,000 Indian millionaires left the country between 2014 and 2023. Opposition leaders have frequently questioned whether the rising migration of wealth signals concerns about governance, education, taxation, and long-term security, especially when compared to developed nations.
In its official reply, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that the reasons for renouncing citizenship are “personal” and known only to the individuals involved. The MEA, however, emphasized that the government recognizes the value of a thriving Indian diaspora, which it views as an asset. It pointed out that India’s engagement with the global diaspora—leveraging its expertise and influence—is a priority, rather than discouraging overseas citizenship. The ministry also provided a list of 135 countries where Indians have acquired citizenship, highlighting the global nature of this trend.
A key reason behind the renunciations is India’s prohibition on dual citizenship. Under Section 9 of the Citizenship Act, 1955, any Indian who voluntarily acquires foreign citizenship automatically loses their Indian citizenship. For Indians living abroad, citizenship often determines their access to voting rights, social security, permanent residence, public-sector employment, and legal protections. While the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status offers visa-free travel and limited economic rights, it does not grant political rights, leaving many long-term migrants—especially those with families—no choice but to formally renounce their Indian citizenship.
While the spike in renunciations in 2022 was partially attributed to pandemic-era backlogs, the continued high numbers in 2023 and 2024 suggest that the trend is now part of a new baseline. Prior to the pandemic, annual renunciations had remained in the range of 120,000 to 145,000 for nearly a decade.
Although occupation-specific data is not readily available, global studies show that Indians form one of the largest skilled migrant populations worldwide. According to the UN, India remains the largest source country of international migrants, with a diaspora of 17.5 million as of 2019. In the US, 81% of Indian immigrants aged 25 and above hold at least a bachelor’s degree, a much higher proportion than native-born Americans or other immigrant groups, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Many migrants cite better salaries, cleaner environments, reliable infrastructure, robust civic services, and stronger education systems as key motivations for leaving. For many, obtaining citizenship is the final step in a long journey that often begins with education or employment abroad.
India remains the world’s top recipient of remittances, with an estimated $125 billion coming in 2023, according to the World Bank. However, opposition leaders argue that the continued outflow of citizens, particularly skilled professionals and the wealthy, calls for urgent reforms in urban living conditions, public health, education, social security, and income inequality. As renunciations consistently exceed 200,000 annually, the issue is likely to remain a political and policy flashpoint, especially with growing concerns about talent retention and the country’s long-term economic competitiveness.
