The government must take a serious note of large number of Indians renouncing Indian citizenshp
It may not be a headline though but is a cause of concern as statistics reveal that a record number of Indians applied to give up their Indian citizenship last year. Needless to say, these are all high-net-worth individuals who can afford citizenship abroad which doesn’t come cheap. Indeed there are various reasons but they must be analyzed as they not only harm the country economically but also psychologically.
Rush to get an H1B visa in the US or seeking employment abroad is one thing but leaving the citizenship altogether is quite another. 1,63,370 Indian nationals renounced their Indian citizenship in 2021.It is also unfortunate that the government has no clue why Indians are leaving their country. Minister of State for Home NityanandRai when asked in LokSabha the reason, replied they were ‘personal.’
India does not have the provision for dual citizenship — and all Indian nationals who acquire foreign nationalities are supposed to give up their Indian citizenship. Interestingly enough there is no way of cross-checking if a person has acquired foreign citizenship. Renouncing Indian citizenship has to be done by the person himself voluntarily.
The total number of people who have renounced their citizenship since 2017 is 9,32,000, officially. This number does not include people who might have already acquired foreign citizenship and are yet to apply for renouncing their Indian citizenship.
Due to the absence of any credible data, one can only assume the reasons for leaving Indian citizenship. Last year, the government eased procedures and enabled online applications and that could be a reason for the surge in applications. Shrinking of job opportunities and declining wage packets in the aftermath of the pandemic could be yet another credible reason for leaving the country. Though the figures available now do not reflect that as there is a big gap between applying and getting a foreign nationality. In 2020, 48,125 Indians got US citizenship.Indeed rush to leave the country's nationality is not a commentary on the condition of the country economically and politically, but is a cause of concern. The internet and online application process and information on the internet have made it easier to settle abroad. But the rise in unemployment is a big factor as many skilled and educated people are now looking westward for a life they dreamt of. The government must take it as a wake-up call and have at least a credible database that can throw light on the cause of such a high number of people renouncing Indian citizenship.
