In 2021, over 1.6 lakh Indians renounced citizenship

Tags: Popular National News

According to data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over 1.6 lakh Indians renounced their citizenship in 2021, highest in the past five years. 

Important facts

• According to statistics, more than 78,000 Indians left Indian citizenship to take US citizenship, which is the highest among all other countries.

• 362 Indians living in China also acquired Chinese citizenship.

• The number of Indians who gave up their citizenship in 2021 is 1,63,370. 

• Over 9.24 lakh persons gave up their Indian citizenship in the seven-year period between 2015 and 2021.

• The number of Indians who renounced citizenship in the years 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 stood at 1,33,049, 1,34,561, 1,44,017 and 85,248 respectively.

Top 10 countries where Indians renounced their citizenship in 2021

1. United States (78,284 in 2021 and 30,828 in 2020)

2. Australia (23,533 in 2021 and 13,518 in 2020)

3. Canada (21,597 in 2021 and 17,093 in 2020)

4. United Kingdom (14,637 in 2021 and 6,489 in 2020)

5. Italy (5,986 in 2021 and 2,312 in 2020)

6. New Zealand (2,643 in 2021 and 2,116 in 2020)

7. Singapore (2,516 in 2021 and 2,289 in 2020)

8. Germany (2,381 in 2021 and 2,152 in 2020)

9. The Netherlands (2,187 in 2021 and 1,213 in 2020)

10. Sweden (1,841 in 2021 and 1,046 in 2020)

What is Citizenship?

• Citizenship refers to the relationship between the individual and the state.

• Citizenship is listed in the 'Union List' under the Constitution and is within the jurisdiction of Parliament.

• The details of the various categories of persons eligible for citizenship in the Constitution are given in Part 2 (Articles 5 to 11).

• The Citizenship Act of 1955 specifies five methods of obtaining citizenship, which include birth, descent, registration, naturalization and incorporation of territory.

Methods of relinquishing citizenship in India

• An Indian citizen, who is of full age and capacity, may renounce the citizenship of India at will.

• If a person takes citizenship of another country, then his Indian citizenship automatically ends because the Indian Constitution provides for single citizenship.

• If a citizen violates the Constitution, has obtained citizenship by fraudulent means, engages in illegal trade or communication with the enemy during war, has been residing outside India continuously for 7 years, then the Government of India can terminate his citizenship.

• If a citizen has been imprisoned in any country for two years during the five years of the citizenship obtained through registration or naturalization, then his citizenship can also be terminated.