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The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday underlined its protocol on handling deportation cases, saying it works closely with foreign governments while ensuring proper verification of nationality.
Speaking at the MEA's bi-weekly press conference, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India receives references from other countries regarding individuals to be deported and then carries out its own checks. "We continue to work with several foreign governments on deportation issues... we do conduct due diligence on our side to confirm the nationality of the person concerned," Jaiswal said. According to him, facilitation for travel or return to India happens only after the ministry is fully convinced of the person's Indian nationality. Sharing the figures for the United States, he said, "The total number of Indians deported from the United States to India in 2026--which means from 1st January till date--is 1273. In 2025, a total of 3,567 Indian nationals were deported from the United States." He also reaffirmed that national interests and the energy needs of its 1.4 billion citizens remain paramount. India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday addressed concerns surrounding a recently advanced US Senate sanctions bill aimed at penalising major importers of Russian oil. Jaiswal clarified that New Delhi is actively monitoring the legislative developments in Washington while maintaining a steadfast approach to its energy procurement policy. "Let me say that we are aware of this development and we are closely monitoring the situation. As you know very well, our position on energy security has been clarified and very well articulated on several occasions," Jaiswal said. He said India's energy policy continues to prioritise securing reliable, uninterrupted, and affordable energy for India's domestic population, adding that India's strategy relies on sourcing energy from multiple global partners, explicitly including imports from the United States alongside other international sources. His remarks come as the legislative measure, titled the Lindsey O Graham Sanctioning Russia Act of 2026, was cleared by the US Senate on Tuesday with an 86-12 vote. The substantial bipartisan endorsement highlighted continued support for Ukraine alongside a tribute to Graham, who passed away unexpectedly earlier this month. Under the current draft, the US president is empowered to levy tariffs reaching up to 100 per cent against the top five importers of Russian energy, as well as nations assisting Moscow in circumventing sanctions. The provision predominantly affects China, India, and other nations, while additionally placing a provision to put a 500 per cent tariff on all Russian imports into the US. (ANI)
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