'The strategic direction of the relationship will not be affected. But the perception has been affected.'
The Indian government has defended the use of Amritsar as a deportation hub for US flights carrying Indian deportees, despite objections from Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Government sources said Punjab has the highest number of deportees among Indian states, with 126 out of 333 people deported since February 5. The sources added that 23 flights carrying Indian deportees have arrived in the country since May 2020, all landing in Amritsar. The move has sparked controversy, with opposition parties protesting the treatment meted out to the deportees and demanding that the Indian government take up the issue with the US. Mann has accused the Centre of trying to defame Punjab and said a holy city like Amritsar should not be made a "deport centre".
Pakistan's ambassador to Turkmenistan, K K Wagan, was deported from the United States after being denied entry at Los Angeles airport. The incident has sparked concerns about diplomatic protocol and the nature of the US authorities' decision. Wagan, who holds a valid US visa, was forced to return to his last port of departure. The Foreign Office confirmed the envoy had gone to the US on a private visit and is investigating the matter. It remains unclear what specific concerns triggered the deportation, but sources suggest the US immigration system flagged Wagan over controversial visa references. The incident has been communicated to Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Foreign Secretary Aamna Baloch, and the Foreign Ministry has directed its Consulate in Los Angeles to investigate.
"Are you waiting for some muhurat," the Supreme Court remarked on Tuesday as it came down heavily on the Assam government for keeping people declared as foreigners in detention centres indefinitely rather than deporting them.
The Congress on Wednesday expressed sadness over 'pictures of Indians getting handcuffed and humiliated' while being deported from the United States and recalled that America had to express regret over the treatment meted out to India diplomat Devyani Khobragade in 2013 after the then United Progressive Alliance government retaliated sharply.
The Karnataka high court on Friday permitted the Union government to issue travel documents to facilitate the return of a Russian woman and her two minor daughters who had been discovered living in a cave in coastal Karnataka.
For Ali, who hails from Mendhar sub-division near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, the uniform is more than a job -- it's a calling. He has dedicated nearly half his life in the police force, serving its various wings with distinction and earning multiple commendations for his courage and unwavering commitment to duty.
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir have deported 60 Pakistanis, including the mother of a Shaurya Chakra awardee who was killed in a terror attack. The deportees, comprising wives and children of ex-militants, were taken to Punjab and will be handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Wagah border. The move comes in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, with the Centre taking several measures against Pakistan.
The wife of an Indian doctor, allegedly detained in Sochi, Russia, appeals to the Indian government for help in securing his release and safe return to India.
Four students, including an Indian, at Michigan public universities have filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and immigration officials, alleging their student immigration status was unlawfully terminated. The lawsuit claims the students' status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) was illegally terminated without proper notice or explanation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Michigan, representing the students, says they were targeted by the Trump administration without a valid reason. The lawsuit seeks to reinstate the students' status to allow them to complete their studies and avoid the risk of detention and deportation. The case is part of a growing trend of lawsuits against the Trump administration's immigration crackdown on higher education. Experts warn that these actions could deter future international scholars from choosing the US as their academic destination, undermining the reputation of US universities.
In his petition, Suri's lawyer said that he is being punished as his wife, who is a US citizen, is of Palestinian heritage and because the government suspects that he and his wife are against the US foreign policy towards Israel.
The Supreme Court of India censured the Assam government for keeping persons declared foreigners in detention centers indefinitely and not deporting them. The court questioned the state's explanation for not sending nationality verification forms to the Ministry of External Affairs, stating that detainees should be deported immediately once identified as foreigners. The court directed the Assam government to initiate the deportation process of 63 declared foreign nationals whose nationality was known and file a status report in two weeks. The court also directed the Centre to provide details of those deported and how it plans to deal with detainees whose nationality is unknown.
Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list commenced in nine states and three Union territories on Tuesday, amid objections from several parties with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee leading the anti-SIR offensive in West Bengal with a rally in Kolkata and alleging 'silent, invisible rigging' through the exercise.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned that Islamabad will enter into an 'open war' with Kabul if the ongoing peace talks in Istanbul fail, TOLO News reported.
Ranjani Srinivasan, a citizen and national of India, entered the United States on a F-1 student visa as a doctoral student in Urban Planning at Columbia University, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Friday. It added that Srinivasan was "involved in activities supporting" Hamas, a terrorist organisation.
The minister's statement in the Rajya Sabha came amid opposition protests over the treatment meted out to 104 Indians, who were deported from the United States.
The Supreme Court reprimanded an Israeli businessman residing in India, questioning his presence in Goa while seeking to halt the repatriation of his two daughters and their Russian mother, who were rescued from a Karnataka forest.
A US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar on Wednesday, the first such batch of Indians deported by the Donald Trump government as part of a crackdown against illegal immigrants.
Krish Lal Isserdasani is an engineering student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has condemned the manner in which Indians staying illegally in the US were deported, calling it an 'insult to India and the dignity of Indians'. He urged the Indian government to issue a message to the US, making it clear that it has no right to deport people in such an 'insulting manner'. Tharoor also pointed out that Colombia had previously refused to accept suspected immigrants of Colombian origin under similar circumstances, officially protesting when people were sent back in handcuffs. He demanded an explanation for the 'atrocious behavior' from the US government.
US President Donald Trump has condemned the murder of an Indian-origin motel manager in Dallas, allegedly by an undocumented Cuban immigrant, blaming the Biden administration's immigration policies.
A fundraiser launched to support Nagamallaiah's wife, Nisha, and 18-year-old son, Gaurav - who witnessed the attack - has raised nearly $200,000, at last reckoning, to help cover funeral expenses and Gaurav's college education.
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.
A Haryana man who paid Rs 35 lakh to agents to facilitate his journey to the USA via the 'dunki' route was deported back to India after being apprehended in the US. The man, Pankaj Rawat, has filed a complaint with the Gujarat police accusing the agents of human trafficking and cheating.
India has raised concerns with the US over the recent deportation of 104 Indian immigrants, with Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri revealing that US authorities have identified up to 487 presumed Indian citizens with "final removal order." Misri also highlighted the "ecosystem to promote illegal migration" and stressed the need for action against those involved in facilitating such operations.
The Supreme Court of India is set to determine whether Rohingya individuals in the country are to be considered refugees or illegal entrants, a crucial decision that will impact their rights and potential deportation.
Despite relatively smaller Indian populations in cities like Seattle and Buffalo, the proportion of Indian nationals detained in these locations remains disproportionately high.
Mixing strong defence with measured attack, young wrestler Antim Panghal won her second World Championship medal with a dominating 9-1 victory over U-23 World Champion Emma Jonna Denise Malmgren in the bronze play-off in Zagreb on Thursday, ensuring that the Indian contingent won't return empty-handed from the Croatian capital.
Chandra Mouli 'Bob' Nagamallaiah, originally from Karnataka, was killed after a dispute over a broken washing machine with a co-worker.
Glimpses from around the world that will make you smile and cry.
The two policy decisions to bolster BSF capabilities at this front have been taken in the wake of the stepped up security arrangements along the border following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024.
The Supreme Court has questioned the central government about the possibility of constructing a border wall to prevent illegal immigration, drawing parallels with the US border policy. The court also addressed concerns about the detention and deportation of Bengali-speaking migrant workers.
Pakistani Hindu refugees residing in Delhi's Majnu Ka Tila are experiencing anxiety over their visa status despite government clarifications regarding Long Term Visas (LTVs). The government's decision to revoke all visas issued to Pakistani nationals, following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, has left many refugees worried about their future. While LTVs for Hindu Pakistani nationals remain valid, the renewal process every two years and ongoing citizenship applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, have fueled concerns. The Delhi Police has initiated a verification drive, adding to the unease among the refugees, who fear being uprooted yet again. The article highlights the plight of these refugees, who have fled Pakistan seeking a better life in India, and the uncertainties they face in the current political climate.
Glimpses from India and around the world that will make you smile and cry.
The United States hired a chartered flight to deport Indian nationals who were staying in the country illegally, the Department of Homeland Security has said, noting that this has been done in cooperation with the Indian government.
Will Mamata's bhasha andolan campaign sway Bengal's bhadralok before the 2026 election in the TMC's favour?
The Indian embassy in Washington DC and the Indian Consulate in New York have also been in touch with the US authorities to ascertain the details in the case, the sources said.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh also questioned the authenticity of materials placed before it by petitioner Mohd Ismail and others and refused to stay any further deportation of Rohingyas saying similar relief was denied by the court.
The Trinamool Congress on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of spreading lies and criminalising poverty over the detention of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in Odisha, while the saffron party charged the Mamata Banerjee dispensation with providing shelters to illegal immigrants.
An alleged synthetic narcotics producer, Kubbawala Mustafa, wanted on an Interpol Red Notice, was deported to India from the UAE in an operation coordinated by the CBI and Mumbai police.