Rising Trend: Indian Citizen Renunciations Surpass 2 Lakh Annually

India-West News Desk

NEW DELHI – The Indian Ministry of External Affairs revealed on December 12 that a large number of Indian citizens have voluntarily renounced their citizenship over the past five years. In 2023 alone, 216,219 individuals gave up their Indian passports. This trend follows 225,620 renunciations in 2022, 163,370 in 2021, 85,256 in 2020, and 144,017 in 2019. The data shows a steady increase over the years, with 122,819 cases recorded in 2011 and annual numbers consistently exceeding 100,000 since then.

The Ministry clarified that it does not track state-wise data for those renouncing citizenship. Responding to a parliamentary query, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh shared a list of countries where former Indian nationals had acquired citizenship. However, the list did not include year-wise or state-wise breakdowns.

While the reasons for renouncing citizenship were described as personal, the government highlighted the significance of the Indian diaspora. It noted, “The Government recognizes the potential of the global workplace in an era of knowledge economy. It has also brought about a transformational change in its engagement with the Indian diaspora.”