In 2025, a Muslim country, not the US, deported the most Indians, report reveals

New Delhi: A shocking revelation has emerged regarding the deportation of Indians in 2025. Most people believe that the US, especially after Trump came to power, deports the most Indians, but the statistics tell a different story. According to the latest data from the Ministry of External Affairs, the country that deported the most Indians in 2025 was the Muslim nation of Saudi Arabia.

11,000 Indians deported
According to reports, Saudi Arabia deported approximately 11,000 Indians this year, far more than any other country. These included mostly laborers and private sector employees who were sent back for visa violations, illegal immigration, or violations of local laws. In contrast, the US deported only 3,800 Indians in 2025, which is the highest in the last five years, but significantly less than the figures from Saudi Arabia. Those deported from the US were also mostly private sector employees.

According to a report, in total, more than 24,600 Indians were deported from 81 countries in 2025. The large number of Indians in Saudi Arabia (approximately 1.9 to 2.7 million) contributes to the higher number of such cases, as millions of Indians work there in sectors such as construction, healthcare, and engineering. Experts say that fraud by agents, ignorance of local laws, and failure to strictly adhere to visa regulations are the main reasons for these cases.

According to the latest data presented by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the Rajya Sabha, 3,800 Indians were deported from the US in the last 12 months. Most of the deportations were carried out from Washington D.C. (3,414) and Houston (234). Experts are linking this increase to the stricter enforcement and rigorous scrutiny of documents—such as visa status, work authorization, and overstay—that began during the Trump administration.

Consistently High Numbers from Gulf Countries
According to the MEA, a large number of deportations from Gulf countries were due to violations of visa and labor regulations. Countries with significant numbers included the United Arab Emirates (1,469), Bahrain (764), and Saudi Arabia. Common reasons included visa/residency overstay, working without a valid permit, violation of labor laws, absconding from employers, and involvement in civil or criminal cases.

Southeast Asia and Myanmar-Cambodia Show a Different Pattern
A large number of deportations of Indians were also recorded from Southeast Asian countries—Myanmar (1,591), Malaysia (1,485), Thailand (481), and Cambodia (305). Bhima Reddy, Vice Chairman of the Telangana government’s NRI Advisory Committee, explained that the pattern of deportations from countries like Myanmar and Cambodia is different. According to him, it is often linked to cyber slavery—where Indians are lured with promises of high salaries, then forced to work in illegal cyber activities, and ultimately face detention and deportation.

Student Deportations: UK Leads, Russia Also Included
According to MEA data, the highest number of Indian student deportations in 2025 were from the United Kingdom, where 170 students were sent back. This was followed by Australia (114), Russia (82), and the United States (45).

Agent Fraud and Lack of Awareness of Laws are Major Causes
Bhima Reddy says that a large number of Indian workers go to Gulf countries for jobs in the construction sector, caregiving, and domestic work. Many of these low-skilled workers go through agents and get caught up in minor offenses or rule violations in an attempt to earn extra money. In many cases, agent fraud and a lack of awareness of local laws prove to be costly.