Over 2 Lakh People Gave Up Indian Citizenship In 2022: Govt In Rajya Sabha

He said that 1,31,489 Indians resigned their Indian citizenship in 2015, 1,41,603 did so in 2016, and 1,33,049 did so in 2017.

MEA S Jaishankar. (File Photo)

Data presented by the government in Rajya Sabha on Thursday showed that more than 16 lakh Indians had renounced their citizenship since 2011, including 2,25,620 last year, news agency PTI reported.

The information was provided by S Jaishankar, the minister of external affairs, in response to a query.

More than 16 lakh Indians renounced their Indian citizenship since 2011 including 2,25,620 last year, according to data provided by govt in Rajya Sabha

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 9, 2023

He said that 1,31,489 Indians resigned their Indian citizenship in 2015, 1,41,603 did so in 2016, and 1,33,049 did so in 2017.

The number was 1,34,561 in 2018, 1,44,017 in 2019, 85,256 in 2020, and 1,63,370 in 2021, all of whom were Indian.

According to the minister, the figure in 2022 was 2,25,620.

According to Jaishankar, the figure for 2011 was 1,22,819, 1,20,923 in 2012, 1,31,405 in 2013, and 1,29,328 in 2014.

“As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of Indians who renounced their Indian citizenship was 1,31,489 in 2015; 1,41,603 in 2016; 1,33,049 in 2017; 1,34,561 in 2018; 1,44,017 in 2019; 85,256 in 2020; 1,63,370 in 2021 and 2,25,620 in 2022,” the ministry said in a statement.

Since 2011, a total of 16,63,440 Indians have renounced their Indian citizenship.

In response to a particular question, he stated that, according to information, five Indian people had received UAE citizenship in the previous three years.

Jaishankar also offered a list of 135 nations where Indians had obtained citizenship.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 83 Indian defence personnel, including prisoners of war, are thought to be in Pakistan's custody.

V Murleedharan, Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, stated that the government is persistently pursuing their release, but that Pakistan has yet to recognise their presence.

Since 2014, the MEA has returned 58 Indian civilian detainees, 2,160 fishermen, and 57 fishing vessels from Pakistan.

It stated that the amount includes 5 Indian civilian detainees and 40 Indian fishermen who will be returned from Pakistan in 2022.

(With Inputs From Agencies)