At a time when immigration enforcement in the United States is under global scrutiny, official government data shows that Saudi Arabia has deported a far higher number of Indian nationals over the past five years.
The figures highlight that most deportations from Gulf countries stem from visa and labour-related violations rather than illegal border crossings.
Saudi Arabia Tops Deportation Numbers Since 2021
According to data submitted by the Ministry of External Affairs, Saudi Arabia recorded the highest number of deportations of Indian nationals worldwide between 2021 and 2025. Information shared by the Indian Mission in Riyadh shows that 8,887 Indians were deported in 2021. The number rose to 10,277 in 2022 and further to 11,486 in 2023. In 2024, deportations from Saudi Arabia stood at 9,206. As of the current date in 2025, 7,019 Indian nationals have already been deported from the kingdom, keeping the total significantly higher than that of most other countries.
Explaining the reasons behind such actions, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh said in a written reply, “There are several reasons for detention and deportation of Indians abroad, including overstay beyond validity of visa or residency card, working without work permit, violating labour regulations, absconding from the employer and facing of civil or criminal cases, etc”.
US Deportations Remain Much Lower Than Gulf Figures
In comparison, deportations of Indian nationals from the United States have remained considerably lower over the same period. Data provided by Indian missions in the US shows that the Washington DC mission recorded 805 deportations in 2021, followed by 862 in 2022 and 617 in 2023. The figure rose to 1,368 in 2024 and increased further to 3,414 in 2025. Most deportations from the US during this period were reported from Washington DC and Houston, where 234 cases were recorded. Other Indian missions across cities such as San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, Chicago and Houston generally reported deportation numbers in the double digits or low hundreds, well below the levels seen in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations.
Other Countries With Notable Deportation Numbers
Apart from Saudi Arabia and the United States, several other countries have also deported significant numbers of Indian nationals. These include Myanmar with 1,591 deportations, the United Arab Emirates with 1,469 cases, Bahrain with 764, Malaysia with 1,485, Thailand with 481 and Cambodia with 305. The government noted that it places the highest priority on the safety and well-being of Indians living abroad. Indian missions, the statement said, actively coordinate with host countries to ensure assistance, rescue and repatriation of Indian nationals wherever required.
C. OneIndia
