In the case of foreigners not “legally” residing in the United States the position is that India will not have any problem with the “genuine” repatriation of illegal immigrants, said S Jaishankar, the external affairs minister of India. The 47th President of the United States Donald Trump, who assumed office on January 20, 2021, promised to deport “illegal” foreigners. There are roughly eighteen thousand Indians who are believed to be residing illegally in the 50 United States and its territories.

Jaishankar clarified that, ‘principled’ and ‘consistent’ are the two words that have defined India’s attitude on the subject and made it clear to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. “We have always taken the view that if there are any of our citizens who are not here legally, if we are sure that they are our citizens, we have always been open to their legitimate return to India. So it's not a position unique to the United States,” Jaishankar said while addressing a press conference in Washington DC on Wednesday, local time.

Sources said India is going to check the papers as they were provided by the Trump administration and those who are found to be Indians will be taken back.

“I understand right now that there is a certain debate going on and a resulting sensitivity which is there. But we have been consistent, we have been very principled about it, and that remains our position, and I conveyed that very clearly to US State Secretary Marco Rubio,” he added.

Jaishankar, however, further stressed that India strongly endorses ‘legal mobility’ between the two countries and the aspiration of India is that Indian skills and talents should flourish at the global level.

‘As a government, we clearly support legal mobility because we believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talents and Indian skills to get maximum opportunities at a global level,’ the EAM said.

‘Yes, at the same time, we are also very firm to oppose illegal mobility and illegal migration. Because you also know that when something illegal happens, there are many other illegal activities that get joined into it, and this is surely undesirable. It is certainly not good for reputation. One more thing is that we did not have with every country and the US is no exception,’ he added.

‘As Ties not served well if…’

The foreign minister talking with Marco Rubio US Secretary of State also raised on the long waiting period to get US visas and said that it's not serving the relationship well. ‘I also told him (Rubio) that, while we understand all of this and I also accept that these are autonomous processes, it is in our mutual interest to facilitate legal and mutually beneficial mobility,’ he said. ‘For example, if it takes about 400 days of waiting period to get a visa, I think the relations are not well served by this. So, I think he also noted that point,’ he further said.

Jaishankar did represent India’s interests at the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. He was also elected as the senior diplomat in the forementioned assigned position. Trump became the 47th president of the United States on January 20 of this year.