US deports 200 illegal Indian immigrants, military cargo plane to land in Amritsar on Wednesday

Washington: A US military cargo plane carrying around 200 illegal Indian immigrants is set to land at Amritsar airport at 9 am on Wednesday, sources said. Most of those on board are believed to be from Punjab and nearby states.

This marks the first large-scale deportation of Indian nationals since Donald Trump began his second term as US president on January 20.

The deportees are being flown on a C-17 Globemaster, a US military cargo aircraft, which is expected to refuel at Germany’s Ramstein air base before reaching India. Unlike previous deportations conducted on commercial flights, this is the first time the US is using a military cargo plane for such an operation.

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in New Delhi said that the country is tightening its immigration policies and deporting illegal immigrants. In November 2024, the US had shared a list of 18,000 illegal Indian immigrants awaiting deportation.

India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has reiterated that India does not support illegal migration. During his visit to the US for Trump’s swearing-in ceremony in January, he stated that while India opposes illegal immigration, it seeks to maximize global opportunities for Indian talent.