#329: Refugees in India
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Historical Context for Refugees in India
India has always served as a place for displaced refugees. Think of Partition when millions moved across the border, to start with. Top it with Jews & Zoroastrians that found their place in coastal regions of erstwhile kingdoms.
Then came Tibetans with Dalai Lama in 1959 and now? We rub shoulders with Rohingyas, Chins, Afghans and others. Learn about them all for UPSC CSE in this post
Stat
As per a reply in the parliament, India currently has 2,00,000+ refugees across the country. There’s no National Refugee Law (unlike 1951 Refugee Convention)
Note: Unofficial number is beyond just 2 lac refugees, we are yet to ascertain but as an aspirant, you will quote the number given as per Parliament acknowledgement
Chins: Ethnic Ties with people of Mizoram leading to Centre-State Conflict
Chins of Myanmar find ethnic & linguistic ties with local Mizo population
Renewed military clash in Myanmar has led to increase in influx (remember Free Movement Regime?)
Mizo National Front Govt. of Mizoram supports these refugees citing brotherly ties and provide food, shelter and other humanitarian efforts rooted in shared heritage
Centre-State conflict brewed here as Indian central government imposes restrictions under the Foreigners Act, 1946, citing security concerns and border management.
Pointers for you here: FMR, Federalism Dynamics, India’s NE Policy
Rohingyas: Detention conditions, CAA & UN Concerns
Nearly 40,000 is official count of Rohingyas in India but expect this number to be higher w/ major chunk in West Bengal slums.
2017: Rakhine state exodus (Myanmar) pushed Rohingyas away from Myanmar
Bangladesh did not take them kindly and islands like Bhasan Char make news as Bangladesh push them here with little to no humanitarian help
CAA 2019 , which excludes Muslims, has further complicated their status, fueling debates on discrimination.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has registered 22,500 Rohingyas.
As of July 2025, UNHCR has raised concerns over alleged inhumane deportations urging India to uphold non-refoulement principles.
CSEWhy note: This scenario offers you rich material for analyzing human rights and legislative impacts as an aspirant
Tibetans: 60+ years of no home for His Holiness Dalai Lama and his devotees
1959: Dalai Lama (Name: Tenzin Gyatso) fled Tibet followed by Tibetans crossing into India, Nepal & Bhutan. (settled in Dharamshala (HP), Bylakuppe (KA), Dehradun (UK) and other states)
PM Nehru offered asylum as a humanitarian gesture
Tibetans have enriched India’s cultural landscape as Dalai Lama’s teachings influence Buddhism, attract tourists to Dharamshala
Contribute to agriculture, handicrafts & carpet industries
Issues: 15% Tibetans unemployed, limited citizenship access & ageing population causing distress
Legal Framework: Indian Approach & Convention of 1951
Indian refugee handling is under Foreigners Act 1946 treating refugees as illegal migrants.
Globally, refugees are managed under 1951 Refugee Convention (India is not a signatory)
Convention defines refugees, grants them rights to non-refoulement, and mandates fair treatment, obligations met by countries like Nepal and Bangladesh.
India allows selective hospitality (Tibetans welcome but Rohingyas/Chins not)
This ‘inconsistency’ was debated in Salimullah v. Union of India (2021) case with no definite conclusion (Article 21 was debated here)
Conclusion: Policy Recommendations for UPSC aspirants
India needs a balanced national policy to harmonize the humanitarian legacy with security imperatives.
Proposed Refugee & Asylum Bill could define legal status, ensure non-refoulement, and integrate refugees into society, as seen with Tibetan settlements.
A framework aligning with Article 21 can be considered to address the federal disparities (as in case of Mizo-Chin relations)
Active engagement with UNHCR like international bodies to find logical transit solutions for Rohingyas shall be undertaken to analyze the policy evolution