Over 87,000 Indians gave up citizenship till June this year: S Jaishankar

PTI, Jul 22, 2023, 12:05 PM IST

New Delhi: As many as 87,026 Indians renounced their citizenship till June this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Lok Sabha on Friday.

With this, more than 17.50 lakh people have given up their Indian citizenship since 2011, the minister said in a written reply.

S Jaishankar said 2,25,620 Indians renounced their citizenship in 2022, 1,63,370 in 2021, 85,256 in 2020, 1,44,017 in 2019, 1,34,561 in 2018, 1,33,049 in 2017, 1,41,603 in 2016, 1,31,489 in 2015, 1,29,328 in 2014, 1,31,405 in 2013, 1,20,923 in 2012 and 1,22,819 in 2011.

“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, S 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.