MigrantoMigration trends in India
Asia
India loses more people than it takes in: 18.5M emigrants against 4.3M immigrants. Net balance −14.2M — 1% of the country's population
1.5B
Population
4.3M
Immigrants
18.5M
Emigrants
−14.2M
Outflow
1 in 334 residents of India was born abroad — and 1 in 79 people born in India lives abroad
#1 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in India
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
7.1M immigrants · 6.6M emigrants
1995
- Became the biggest country by emigrants in Asia
- The country became a place of departure — more people leaving than arriving
2000
- The outflow deepened — net losses doubled to 1.5M
2010
- UAE replaced Pakistan as the main destination for those leaving
- Slipped out of the world's 10 biggest immigrant destinations
- Surge of departures to Qatar — 330.8K people left
- Surge of departures to Australia — 177.7K people left
2015
- Surge of departures to Oman — 360.4K people left
- The diaspora passed 15M people
Today
- Since 1990: 2.7M fewer foreign-born residents and 12M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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