Since the process of deportation began, the Indian government has been willing to cooperate with the Trump administration to identify and take back all its citizens residing illegally in the US. It was a clear sign that New Delhi wants to strengthen its bilateral ties with the US and avoid any tensions. “India has been firmly opposed to illegal migration, especially as it is linked to other forms of organised crime. As part of India-US migration and mobility cooperation, both sides are engaged in a process to deter illegal migration, while also creating more avenues for legal migration from India to the US. We are keen to continue this cooperation. At the same time, the Government of India would need to do the required verification, including nationality of the concerned individuals before they are deported to India,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on January 31.

India is also hopeful that the US administration would protect legal immigration channels used by its citizens to enter the US such as student visas and the H-1B programme for skilled workers. Indian citizens accounted for almost three-fourths of the 386,000 H-1B visas granted in 2023, according to official data. During his Washington visit, EAM Jaishankar had also emphasised that India is very much supportive of ‘legal mobility’ between two countries and wants Indian skills and talent to have great opportunity at the global level.

“As a government, we obviously are very much supportive of legal mobility because we do believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at a global level,” the EAM said. Dr Jaishankar, in his meeting with Rubio, also pointed out the long waiting period for getting US visas, and said it is not serving the relationship well.

“I also told him (Rubio) that, while we understand all of this, and I also accept that these are autonomous processes, it is in our mutual interest to facilitate legal and mutually beneficial mobility. If it takes 400 odd days of waiting period to get a visa, I don’t think the relationship is well served by this. So I think he also noted that point,” he said.

India’s proactive stand on facilitating the return of illegal Indian migrants in the US is seen as a move to address a key concern of the Trump administration as New Delhi prepares to navigate more complicated issues, including trade and tariffs.