Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 22: India has strongly objected to the treatment of deported Indian nationals by US authorities, particularly the use of shackles on a flight that landed in Amritsar on February 5, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed Parliament on Friday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Singh confirmed that India has raised serious concerns, especially regarding the restraint of women deportees. “The ministry has strongly registered its concerns… particularly with respect to the use of shackles, especially on women,” he stated.

The deportation involved 104 Indian nationals flown aboard a US military aircraft—the first large batch repatriated under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The issue has sparked public outrage in India.

Two more flights carrying deportees arrived in India on February 15 and 16. The US later clarified that no women or children were shackled on those flights, a claim Indian authorities verified through post-arrival interviews.

Singh said that, as per US Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in place since 2012, restraints can be used on deportees for security reasons, with exemptions for women and minors at the discretion of the flight officer in charge.

The US also assured that religious head coverings were not removed and that vegetarian meal requests were accommodated.

Regarding reverse migration trends due to shifting US and Canadian immigration policies, Singh clarified that there were no indications of such a phenomenon. He reiterated that India remains committed to verifying the citizenship of deported nationals and continues to press for dignified repatriation practices.