Dissecting Deportation Data: Not US, But This Country Sent Back Most Indians In Past 5 Years

Official data from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) indicates that Saudi Arabia has deported far more Indian nationals than the United States over the past five years. Figures tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh show that while the US has seen a surge in deportations under the second Donald Trump administration, the numbers remain a fraction of the enforcement actions taken in the Gulf kingdom.

Scale of Gulf repatriation

Saudi Arabia emerged as the single largest source of Indian deportations globally. According to the MEA, between 2021 and 2025, more than 49,000 Indian nationals were deported from Saudi Arabia. In 2025 alone, over 11,000 Indians were sent home, driven by the kingdom’s strict “Saudisation” policies and aggressive enforcement

of residency (Iqama) laws.

The vast majority of these individuals are blue-collar workers employed in construction, domestic work, and caregiving. Officials noted that these deportations are largely due to:

• Overstaying visa or residency permit validity.
• Working for employers other than their legal sponsors (absconding).
• Violations of local labour regulations and permit-related issues.
• Periodic mass enforcement drives conducted under the Saudi Vision 2030 framework.

US deportations: Higher than before but not comparable

In contrast, the United States deported approximately 3,800 Indian nationals in 2025. While this represents a 16-year high for the US—surpassing the previous peak of 2,042 in 2019—it is still less than half of the annual figure from Saudi Arabia. 

The rise in the United States is attributed to intensified ICE raids and a crackdown on illegal border crossings and visa overstays initiated in early 2025. Unlike the labour-driven deportations from the Gulf, US enforcement often targets “illegal status” and high-profile visa breaches.

Government safeguards and global trends

The data decisively shows that the Gulf region remains the primary site of migration-related friction for Indian citizens. Beyond Saudi Arabia, other countries with significant deportation figures in 2025 include Myanmar (1,591) and Malaysia (1,485). The MEA highlighted that deportations from Southeast Asia often involve “cyber slavery” victims lured by fake job rackets, whereas Gulf deportations are linked to systemic labour law compliance.

To curb these numbers, the Indian government has strengthened the e-Migrate portal and issued fresh advisories against fraudulent agents. The External Affairs Minister, Dr S Jaishankar, emphasised that while India respects the right of nations to deport illegal residents, the “unambiguous verification” of nationality and the humane treatment of deportees remain top diplomatic priorities.