NEW DELHI, June 2 – Indian authorities have deported more than 2,000 alleged illegal immigrants to Bangladesh since the launch of Operation Sindoor on May 7, government sources said, amid a nationwide crackdown following the April attacks in Pahalgam.
An equal number of undocumented Bangladeshi nationals are believed to have voluntarily approached the India-Bangladesh border and crossed over, fearing detention, officials told Reuters.
The operation, coordinated by the Ministry of Home Affairs, involves the identification, roundup, and repatriation of illegal immigrants across several Indian states. Gujarat has accounted for nearly half of all deportations, followed by Delhi, Haryana, Assam, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
“This is an ongoing process and all states with cities having significant economic activity have been instructed to verify documentation and initiate deportations,” a senior government official said. The campaign is primarily being executed along the Bangladesh border in Tripura, Meghalaya, and Assam.
The deportees are transported by Indian Air Force aircraft to the border and handed over to the Border Security Force (BSF), which temporarily houses them in makeshift camps. After basic provisions, including food and local currency, they are escorted across the border with assistance from the Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB), officials said.
Authorities claim the process has proceeded with minimal resistance. “Most of those being sent back are poor labourers without legal recourse. They prefer returning home over facing detention or jail,” an officer from the security establishment said.
While the operation has largely avoided West Bengal—where complex border geography and familial cross-border ties raise concerns over law and order—states with more manageable border conditions have been prioritized.
Officials also said that biometric data is being captured for all deportees to prevent future unauthorized re-entry. “This is only a temporary solution,” a source said. “Such operations have occurred in the past, but without biometric tracking, many of these individuals return once enforcement eases.”
The government anticipates potential diplomatic concerns from Bangladesh if deportation numbers surge to 10,000–20,000 per week. However, for now, Indian and Bangladeshi border forces continue to coordinate closely on the operation.
