Over 87,000 Indians gave up their citizenship so far in 2023, says MEA
In 2022, a total of 2,25,620 persons had given up their Indian citizenship, highest in the last 12 years.
Till June, 87,026 Indians have given up their citizenship, the Ministry of External Affairs said Friday. These individuals moved to 135 countries, including the United States, Pakistan, Germany among others.
MEA provided the data in response to a query by Lok Sabha MP Karti Chidambaram.
“Many Indian nationals have chosen to take up foreign citizenship…the Government is cognisant of this development and has undertaken a range of initiatives centered around ‘Make in India’ that would harness their talents at home," External Affairs Ministet S. Jaishankar said.
He added that the Indian community abroad is a valuable asset to the nation, and the government has initiated a transformative shift in its interaction with the diaspora.
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| Year | Number of Indians Renouncing Citizenship |
| 2011 | 122,819 |
| 2012 | 120,923 |
| 2013 | 131,405 |
| 2014 | 129,328 |
| 2015 | 131,489 |
| 2016 | 141,603 |
| 2017 | 133,049 |
| 2018 | 134,561 |
| 2019 | 144,017 |
| 2020 | 85,256 |
| 2021 | 163,370 |
| 2022 | 225,620 |
Jump in Indians renouncing citizenship after pandemic
While the yearly data prior to the pandemic hovered around less than 1.5 lakh, it showed a saw a sharp jump after the pandemic at 225,620 persons giving up their citizenship in 2022.
“A successful, prosperous and influential diaspora is an advantage for India and our approach is to tap diaspora networks and utilise their reputation for national gain," Jaishankar told in his reply.
He further concluded his response by saying that the government's efforts are focussed on fostering knowledge exchange and expertise sharing to positively impact India's national development.
