Saudi Arabia Tops GCC Indian Deportations at About 11,000 in 2025

(SAUDI ARABIA) — India’s Ministry of External Affairs presented data in Parliament showing Saudi Arabia deported over 11,000 Indians in 2025, the highest total among 81 countries listed.

The ministry’s figures, tabled in the Rajya Sabha, put overall deportations at 24,600 Indians deported from 81 countries in 2025, with Saudi Arabia topping the list. The cases were primarily linked to visa overstays, expired documents, working without valid permits, and labour law violations.

Key figures and overview

• Total deportations (2025, 81 countries): 24,600 Indians
• Saudi Arabia: over 11,000 deportations (largest share)
• United States: around 3,800 deportations (second highest)
• United Arab Emirates & Malaysia: around 1,400–1,500 each
• Myanmar: nearly 1,600 deportations
• Other notable countries included Thailand and Cambodia

The parliamentary presentation provided a country-by-country picture for 2025 but did not include detailed individual case narratives or combined totals for some regional groupings (for example, the Gulf Cooperation Council).

Top destinations (selected)

Primary reasons for deportations

The ministry’s summaries grouped common triggers across countries. The main causes cited were:

• Invalid documentation (expired or missing documents)
• Overstaying visas
• Working without valid permits / unauthorised work
• Labour law violations
• In specific contexts (e.g., Myanmar), cases were often linked to “cyber slavery” situations

Country-specific notes

• Saudi Arabia:
  • Cases involved many low-skilled workers in construction, caregiving, and domestic sectors.
  • Removals were largely tied to documentation lapses and work-status violations.
  • The prominence of Saudi cases reflects the scale of India’s workforce in the Gulf and the vulnerability of lower-wage workers to enforcement sweeps.
• United States:
  • The ~3,800 deportations were described as linked to stricter scrutiny under President Donald Trump, including references to H-1B visa delays and enhanced vetting.
  • The dataset did not break down U.S. removals by visa category.
  • The figure was noted as the highest in five years for U.S. deportations of Indians.
• Myanmar:
  • Nearly 1,600 deportations frequently tied to “cyber slavery” cases.
• UAE, Malaysia, Bahrain, Thailand, Cambodia:
  • Reported as notable sources of deportations, with UAE and Malaysia both around 1,400–1,500 each.
  • Bahrain recorded significant numbers though the parliamentary summaries did not specify exact figures.

Expert observations and policy context

• The reports cited unnamed experts who linked deportation trends to recurring enforcement crackdowns in labour markets that depend heavily on migrant workers.
• Experts emphasised compliance with visa and work rules to avoid removals.
• The accounts suggested that host-government intensification of checks can quickly turn routine administrative problems into grounds for deportation.

Implications for Indian workers

• The totals underline how routine administrative problems — such as expired documents or mismatches between work and permit conditions — can lead to deportation when host governments heighten enforcement.
• Lower-wage, lower-skilled occupations appear particularly vulnerable, especially in Gulf states where enforcement sweeps focus on permits and residency documents.

Data limitations and caveats

• The dataset provided a single-year snapshot (2025) and a country-by-country picture, but:
  • It did not include a combined tally for the Gulf Cooperation Council.
  • It did not break down deportations by Indian state or by specific employer.
  • The parliamentary tabling did not include an official announcement from either the Saudi or Indian government beyond the ministry’s figures.
  • Individual case narratives were not provided.

Overall, the ministry’s presentation placed Saudi Arabia at the centre of India’s 2025 deportations picture, with the United States a distant second and other destinations clustered far lower in the totals.