As debate over the new law on citizenship continues, over 6 lakh Indians gave up their citizenship between 2015 and 2019, preferring to be citizens abroad.
Union Minister of State for Home, Nityanand Rai, informed Lok Sabha that as per the information available with the Ministry of External Affairs, total 1,24,99,395 Indian nationals are living in foreign countries.
Mr Rai said 1,41,656 Indians gave up Indian citizenship in 2015; 1,44,942 in 2016; 1,27,905 in 2017, 1,25,130 in 2018 and 1,36,441 in 2019.
The Ministry has listed employment and education as the primary "economic reasons" for the migration.
The Indian government does not allow dual citizenship. However, the government grants Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders statutory rights under the Citizenship Act, 1955.
Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) of certain category, including those who migrated from India and acquired citizenship of a foreign country other than Pakistan and Bangladesh, are eligible for the grant of OCI as long as their home countries allow dual citizenship.
