Article Today, New Delhi:
India is witnessing a sustained increase in the number of citizens giving up their nationality and settling abroad. Official data show that more than 20 lakh Indians have renounced their citizenship between 2011 and 2024. The trend has intensified in recent years, indicating deepening concerns over governance, institutional efficiency, and long-term prospects within the country.
Recent Figures Raise Concern
The pace of renunciation has accelerated since the pandemic period. In the last five years alone, nearly nine lakh Indians have surrendered their citizenship. In 2023, the figure crossed two lakh in a single year. On average, around 1.5 lakh citizens are permanently leaving India every year, suggesting that emigration is no longer limited to a small or exceptional group.
Preferred Destinations Abroad
Most of those giving up Indian citizenship are relocating to the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. These countries continue to attract Indian migrants due to stable institutions, higher incomes, and predictable regulatory environments. The preference for a limited set of destinations underlines the pull of advanced economies with strong social infrastructure.
Loss of Skilled Professionals
A significant proportion of emigrants belong to highly skilled professions. Information technology experts, doctors, engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs form a large share of those settling abroad. Many leave India after completing their education, often funded or subsidised domestically, and choose to build long-term careers overseas. This has renewed concerns about a sustained brain drain affecting India’s future growth and innovation capacity.
Tax Burden and Governance Issues
High personal income taxes, combined with limited public service delivery, are frequently cited as push factors. Professionals point to inadequate infrastructure, strained public healthcare, and uneven quality in school education despite substantial tax contributions. In addition, persistent complaints about corruption, bureaucratic delays, and regulatory uncertainty contribute to frustration among taxpayers.
Institutional Delays Add Pressure
Concerns also extend to law enforcement and the judicial system. Lengthy court proceedings, fear of arbitrary action, and complex compliance requirements create a sense of insecurity for individuals and businesses alike. As a result, many view emigration as a pathway to legal certainty and personal safety.
Limited Policy Response
Despite the steady rise in citizenship renunciation, there has been little public debate or policy intervention aimed at addressing the root causes. While initiatives such as Overseas Citizen of India cards seek to maintain links with the diaspora, critics argue that these measures do not address why citizens are choosing to leave in the first place.
Implications for the Future
The continued outflow of citizens, particularly from skilled and productive segments, raises long-term questions about trust in governance and national institutions. Unless underlying concerns related to economic opportunity, institutional efficiency, and quality of life are addressed, experts warn that the trend may persist, with lasting implications for India’s demographic and developmental trajectory.
