As per figures made available on Monday, although the ministry was given an allocation of Rs 65 crore (Rs 650 million), it could spend only Rs 45 crore (Rs 450 million) last year. This ministry had made a representation to the finance ministry seeking an allocation of Rs 85 crore (Rs 850 million) for the current year.
Overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi said Government was in the final stage of establishing a 'Return and Resettlement Fund' that will provide 'reasonable level of financial security' to the overseas returnees.
For the year 2026, the President has approved the conferment of 131 Padma awards. The list comprises five Padma Vibhushan, 13 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri.
The PM's overseas visits in 2025 picked up sharply after May, particularly following Operation Sindoor.
The year began on an unusually dull note with boxers absent from most international competition in the aftermath of a medal-less Olympic campaign.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has accused Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi of having a 'deeper connection' with a Pakistani national and violating FCRA rules, prompting calls for a national probe.
Williams, Bharti join camp, signalling new chapter for Indian football
The Indian government informed the Lok Sabha that over two lakh Indians renounced their citizenship in 2024. The data, provided in response to queries, highlights a trend of increasing citizenship renunciations in recent years.
It will now be called the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.
One flyer read: 'More Indians in 5 years, than Greeks and Italians in 100', adding, 'This isn't a slight cultural change, it's a replacement plain and simple'.
India's leading agriculture commodity exchange, the National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), has decided to acquire around a 20 per cent stake in a new commodities and financial derivatives exchange being set up in Sri Lanka, subject to regulatory and governmental approvals. The move aims to deepen NCDEX's footprint in the financial ecosystem of its neighbouring country.
A court in Antwerp on Friday cleared the extradition of fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi, noting that his arrest by the Belgian authorities on India's request was valid, officials in the know of the development said.
The Indian Diaspora has been able to carve a niche in their adopted countries as a result of their talent, perseverance and hardworking nature, asserts Rup Narayan Das.
CPGRAMS -- an online platform available to citizens 24x7 to lodge their grievances to public authorities on service delivery -- has existed for close to two decades. But it has never been this active, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Yes, the entry of private bankers, particularly with global experience will add value to PSBs, points out Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
India briefed envoys of around 45 nations on the Pahalgam terror attack and its link to cross-border terrorism. The envoys were briefed in two batches by senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). India also announced punitive measures against Pakistan, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post. Pakistan responded by shutting its airspace to all Indian airlines and suspending trade with New Delhi.
India has said it will take all steps to protect its national interests and ensure comprehensive national security in all domains after Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a strategic defence pact.
The Centre has defended in the Delhi high court its decision to cancel the overseas citizen of India (OCI) card of United States-based journalist Raphael Satter saying he maligned Indian institutions in the international arena through journalistic activities.
One Iranian woman, who is the wife of an Indian national has also been evacuated, he added.
The Indian government has informed Parliament that there are currently over 10,000 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign jails. The Ministry of External Affairs shared country-wise data, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE having the highest number of Indian prisoners. The government has assured that it prioritizes the safety and well-being of Indians abroad and provides consular assistance, legal aid, and financial support to those imprisoned.
United States President Donald Trump has said India is 'very close' to China in terms of its purchases of Russian oil and will pay tariffs of 50 per cent as he indicated that 'you are going to see so much secondary sanctions'.
An Indian Foreign Services (IFS) officer, identified as Jitendra Rawat, died by suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of a building in the Chanakyapuri area of Delhi. Police confirmed the death and said no foul play was suspected. Sources said Rawat was undergoing treatment for depression and his mother was staying with him. His wife and children are staying in Dehradun.
India has strongly rejected Pakistan's claims on Kashmir, calling it a Union Territory and dismissing the Pakistan Army Chief's statement about it being the country's "jugular vein." India also rejected Pakistan's claim that Tahawwur Rana, a Mumbai terror attack accused, is a Canadian citizen and that it has nothing to do with him. India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson stated that Pakistan's reputation as the "epicentre" of global terrorism will not diminish. Rana's extradition is a reminder that Pakistan needs to bring other perpetrators of the Mumbai terror attacks to justice, according to India.
The proposed legislation on Emigration (Overseas Mobility (Facilitation and Welfare) Bill, 2024) seeks to replace the Emigration Act of 1983 with a view to facilitate the circular mobility of people intending to emigrate for overseas employment.
"Mobility partnership is a new instrument and we intend to sign more agreements with European nations," G Gurucharan, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, told reporters.
The Slovak Republic's President, Peter Pellegrini, has expressed interest in adopting a tree-planting initiative similar to India's "Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam," launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The inspiration came during a meeting with Indian President Droupadi Murmu, who was on a two-day state visit to Slovakia. During a tree-planting ceremony in Nitra, Murmu highlighted Modi's initiative to plant trees in the name of mothers. Pellegrini was impressed and suggested that Slovakia could consider a similar program. The initiative, launched on World Environment Day last year, encourages people to plant a tree in their mother's name as a symbolic gesture of love and respect.
Started as a pilot project for Delhi, the new system will automatically convert into FIRs cyber financial crimes filed on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and helpline number 1930, initially above the threshold limit of Rs 10 lakh, he said.
Postal ballot facility for eligible overseas Indian electors cannot be extended for the upcoming assembly polls as the matter is still under discussion with the Ministry of External Affairs to iron out logistical challenges in implementing the proposal, Lok Sabha was informed.
The 17 related ministries have been combined into seven different groups, including some infrastructure departments, in a bid to ensure synergy and better results.
Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi was today given additional charge of ministries of science and technology, earth sciences and micro, small and medium enterprises following ill health of Vilasrao Deshmukh.
He said that his government is deeply committed to the welfare and prosperity of the Indian community in Tanzania.
The parliamentary panel, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party's Sushil Kumar Modi, has also decided to examine remote voting and e-postal ballots for Indians residing abroad.
The Union Finance Ministry on Friday announced key amendments to foreign exchange (forex) regulations, including mandating government approvals for all investments originating from countries that share land borders with India. The latest amendments also seek to simplify cross-border share swaps and streamline key definitions, such as "control". The updated regulations have aligned the treatment of downstream investments made by overseas citizen of India (OCI)-owned entities with those owned by non-resident Indians (NRIs) on a non-repatriation basis.
The 'Know India Programme' organised by the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is a three-week orientation trip for Diaspora youth to promote awareness about the different facets of life in India.
On matters relating to the Diaspora, the Centre needs to call the shots, suggests Ambassador T P S Sreenivasan.
The second batch of 130 Indians rescued from the Italian cruise ship 'Costa Concordia', which hit a rock and sank off the Tuscan coast in Italy last week, returned home on Friday.
In an unprecedented act of philanthropy to an American academic institution, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs has given a $2 million grant to the University of Pennsylvania's Centre for the Advanced Study of India, headed by Devesh Kapur to support its research on international migration from India.
Over 81,000 Indians were deported from the Gulf this year on various grounds, including non-possession of visas, resident permits and violation of local laws, the government said on Thursday.
Out of those who arrived from Lebanon at 2.15 AM, 269 were from Tamil Nadu, 139 from Punjab, nine from Kerala, three from Goa and one each from Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
All the chief ministers from the northeast states have confirmed that will be attending the 9th edition of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi said on Wednesday.
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