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India’s Rohingya dilemma: Deportation, security concerns, and humanitarian challenges

By Nava Thakuria* 
Even though India provides shelter to nearly 20 million undocumented individuals from neighboring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal, Tibet, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Bangladesh, the Union government in New Delhi has consistently maintained a strict stance against illegal migrants—often termed infiltrators, asylum seekers, or refugees—particularly from Pakistan since independence. However, in recent years, both the government and the people of the South Asian nation have taken a unified stand against Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingya refugees from western Myanmar, portraying them as security threats and instigators of demographic changes and social unrest. This shift in perception intensified following the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, where 26 innocent civilians were brutally killed by Islamist militants, allegedly with backing from the Pakistani regime in Islamabad.  
Following the 22 April Pahalgam attack, a massive wave of public outrage swept across India, demanding decisive retaliation against Pakistan. This led to an escalation in armed conflicts between the two neighbors, prompting New Delhi to launch Operation Sindoor, targeting terrorist hideouts in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and mainland Pakistan. A bilateral agreement for cessation of hostilities was reached on 10 May, yet widespread anger against Pakistan persists among the majority of Indians. Even the Supreme Court has criticized the government for its delay in deporting illegal migrants. Recently, the apex court rejected a plea to halt the deportation of Rohingya Muslim migrants and refused to hear a petition alleging the abandonment of 38 Rohingya refugees in the Andaman Sea near Myanmar’s coast, dismissing it as a "very beautifully crafted story."  
The petition claimed that New Delhi deported these Rohingyas despite their possession of identity cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Reports suggest that they were transported from Delhi to Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair), the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in early May. Allegedly, they were placed on a ship with life jackets near Myanmar’s coast, with assurances that someone would rescue them. A civil society group, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), condemned the alleged deportation, describing it as inhumane and illegal under both domestic and international guidelines.  
The growing Rohingya issue has prompted both the central and state governments to take visible action against individuals who either enter India illegally or overstay their visas. An estimated 40,000 Rohingyas currently reside in Telangana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir, and other regions. These Muslim residents from Rakhine (Arakan) province of Myanmar faced brutal military crackdowns in 2016 and 2017, leading to the displacement of over 700,000 Rohingyas to neighboring Bangladesh. Their repatriation has remained uncertain, particularly after the military coup in Myanmar in February 2021, which triggered armed conflicts between the Myanmar military junta and ethnic armed groups, including the Arakan Army.  
Meanwhile, the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) alleged that India had pushed over 2,000 individuals into Bangladesh since 1 May, without official notification. BGB Director General Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui claimed that many Bengali-speaking Indian Muslims were also forced across the borders of West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura. Political leaders, security experts, and the general public have expressed serious concerns over this practice, deeming it illogical and illegal. They questioned the deportation of Rohingyas to Bangladesh, arguing that they are not Bangladeshi citizens but Myanmar nationals. BGB officials reportedly detained at least five UNHCR-recognized Rohingya refugees, who were allegedly pushed into Bangladesh by Indian authorities.  
Dhaka has made it clear that it will only accept individuals confirmed as Bangladeshi citizens and repatriate them through official channels. Bangladeshi authorities have demanded an end to this practice, labeling it a threat to their sovereignty, despite the fact that Rohingyas originally entered India from Bangladesh.  
On 23 May, the UNHCR issued a media statement from Geneva, expressing concern over two reported boat tragedies that resulted in the deaths of over 400 Rohingya refugees near Myanmar’s coast. The UN refugee agency stated that approximately 514 Rohingyas traveled on two separate boats—one carrying 267 people, more than half of whom likely departed from Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, while the rest left Rakhine province, Myanmar. The boat sank on 9 May, with only 66 survivors. Another boat carrying 247 Rohingyas (from both Cox’s Bazar camps and Rakhine) capsized on 10 May, leaving only 21 survivors.  
Hai Kyung Jun, UNHCR’s regional director, remarked:  
"The dire humanitarian situation, exacerbated by funding cuts, is having a devastating impact on the lives of Rohingya, with more and more resorting to dangerous journeys to seek safety, protection, and a dignified life for themselves and their families. The latest tragedy is a chilling reminder that access to meaningful protection, especially in countries of first asylum, as well as responsibility sharing and collective efforts along sea routes, are essential to saving lives." 
UNHCR has urged the international community to stand in solidarity with countries hosting Rohingya refugees. Until conditions in Rakhine become peaceful and conducive to safe and voluntary repatriation, the global community must continue supporting efforts to provide life-saving assistance to Rohingya refugees. The UN agency has stated that it requires $383.1 million in 2025 to stabilize the lives of refugees and their host communities across Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and displaced populations within Myanmar. However, only 30 percent of this amount has been received so far.  
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*Senior journalist based in Guwahati 

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