New Delhi has expressed readiness to cooperate with the United States to identify and repatriate Indian citizens residing illegally in the country, reported Bloomberg on Tuesday.

This indicates India’s willingness to avoid potential trade conflicts with the Trump administration.

Authorities from both nations have identified approximately 18,000 undocumented Indian migrants in the US for deportation, Bloomberg reported citing unidentified persons. The true number could be higher because the total population of undocumented Indian immigrants in the US is not clear.

Despite friendly relations with Trump, Modi’s government is reportedly wary of any unexpected US actions that could lead to a trade war. On September 17, Trump called India a “very big abuser” of the trade relationship with his country. Trump has criticised India’s high import taxes and threatened reciprocal tariffs.

Shortly after his inauguration, Trump reaffirmed his intent to crack down on illegal migration by proposing an end to birthright citizenship and enhancing border security.

India hopes its cooperation will safeguard legal immigration channels for its citizens, particularly student visas and the H-1B visa programme for skilled workers. Indian citizens accounted for nearly 75% of the 3,86,000 H-1B visas issued in 2023, official data shows.

Failure to facilitate the repatriation of illegal migrants could jeopardise India’s labour and mobility agreements with other nations, including Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Israel, according to Bloomberg. These agreements are vital for addressing India’s unemployment challenges.

“As part of India-US cooperation on migration and mobility, both sides are engaged in a process to deter illegal migration,” Bloomberg quoted Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, as saying.

“This is being done to create more avenues for legal migration from India to the US,” Jaiswal added.

Talking about the repatriation in October, the spokesperson said: “The latest deportation of Indian nationals from the US by a chartered flight is a result of this cooperation.”

Bloomberg reported that while Indian citizens account for only about 3% of all illegal crossings encountered by US border officials in the fiscal year 2024, their numbers are increasing, particularly at the northern US border.

According to US Customs and Border Protection data, Indians represent nearly a quarter of all illegal crossings at this less-trafficked entry point, making them the largest group of unauthorised migrants stopped there.

A 2022 report by the Department of Homeland Security estimated that 220,000 undocumented Indian immigrants were living in the US. India has demonstrated a cooperative stance on US border enforcement, including under the Biden administration, with more than 1,100 Indian citizens deported in the 12 months preceding October 2024.

Analysts at the Niskanen Center suggest factors driving Indian migrants to the northern US border include Canada’s relatively accessible visa system and El Salvador’s 2023 decision to end visa-free travel for Indians, reported Bloomberg.

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