India ready to take back citizens living illegally in US, need to end human trafficking ecosystem: PM

WASHINGTON: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India is willing to take back its nationals if they live illegally in the United States and laid emphasis on the need to finish the “ecosystem” of human trafficking. PM Modi also expressed confidence that President Donald Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem.

“Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the citizens of India – if they live in the US illegally, India is ready to take them back”, PM Modi said, answering a query at the joint press conference with President Trump after their bilateral talks.

He said most of the people staying illegally are from ordinary families and are misguided by human traffickers. “But it doesn’t stop just there for us. These are people from ordinary families. They are shown big dreams and most of them are such who are misled and brought here. So, we should attack this entire system of human trafficking. Together, it should be the effort of the US and India to destroy such an ecosystem from its roots so that human trafficking ends…Our bigger fight is against that entire ecosystem, and we are confident that President Trump will fully cooperate with India in finishing this ecosystem”, he added.

#WATCH | Washington, DC: On the illegal immigration issue, PM Narendra Modi says, “…Those who stay in other countries illegally do not have any legal right to be there. As far as India and the US are concerned, we have always said that those who are verified and are truly the… pic.twitter.com/Qa0JEnAjyp

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2025

The US had recently sent over 100 Indians, who it said were illegal immigrants, to the country in a military plane with “restraints” which caused a political furore in the country. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had given a statement in Parliament on the deportation of Indian nationals.

Officials have said India has been in contact with the US authorities over concerns about the conditions under which people are brought back.

In his remarks, PM Modi lauded the role of the Indian community in the US in fostering bilateral ties and announced that India will open two new consulates in Los Angeles and Boston.

“Indian community living in India is an important link to our relationships… To enhance our people-to-people ties – we will soon open our consulates in Los Angeles and Boston. We have invited the universities of the US to open offshore campuses in India”, he said.

He also thanked President Trump for approving the extradition of 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana. “India and America have been together in the fight against terrorism. We agree that solid action must be taken to eliminate terrorism that originates on the other side of the border. I am thankful to the President that he has decided to extradite a criminal to India who committed genocide in 2008 in India. The courts in India will take proper action,” he said.

The Prime Minister also affirmed the role of Quad in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. “India and America’s partnership strengthens democracy and democratic values. We will work together to maintain peace, stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Quad will have an important role in it. This time, India is going to host the Quad summit – we will extend our cooperation in new areas with our partner countries during that. In the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC) and Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States (I2U2), we will work together for economic corridor and trade infrastructure,” the Prime Minister said.

Trump also reiterated the US commitment to the Quad partnership. “In 2017, my administration revived and reinvigorated the Quad security partnership…Prime Minister and I reaffirm the strong cooperation among the United States, India, Australia and Japan, and it’s really crucial to maintain peace, prosperity, tranquillity in the Indo-Pacific,” Trump further said,” he said.

PM Modi also extended an invitation to President Trump to visit India. “The people of India, even today, remember your (President Trump) visit of 2020, and they hope that you’ll see them again. On behalf of 140 crore people of India, I invite you to come to India”, he added.

President Trump lauded the “special bond” between the US and India, he said that both nations are also announcing the framework to further strengthen the ties.

“I am thrilled to welcome PM Modi at the White House. We spend a lot of time here and also in India. We travelled to your beautiful country 5 years ago… It was an incredible period of time. There is a special bond between the US and India – the world’s oldest and largest democracies in the world. Today, the PM and I are announcing the framework to strengthen the ties further,” Trump said.

The US President further announced agreements on energy import agreement and trade routes. “The Prime Minister and I also reached an important agreement on energy that will ensure the US to be the leading supplier of oil and natural gas to India, hopefully, the number one supplier. In the groundbreaking development for the US nuclear industry, India is also reforming laws to welcome US nuclear technology, which is at the highest level in the Indian market,” Trump said.

“We agreed to work together to help build one of the greatest trade routes in all of history. It will run from India to Israel to Italy and onward to the US, connecting our partners, roads, railways and undersea cables. It is a big development,” he added. (ANI)