Refugees from different countries in India

♤ Tibetan Refugees- Following the Chinese incursion in 1951, in 1959, many Tibetans fled to India. Tibetans who arrived in India in the late 1950s and early 1960s were accorded refugee status by the Indian government. These Tibetans were issued registration certificates, which must be renewed once or twice a year. Tibetans who were born in India are also eligible to obtain a registration certificate once they are 18 years old.

♤ Sri Lankan Refugees- Sri Lankans who are considered to be a threat to national security are deemed to be militants and detained in ‘special camps’ in Chenglepet or Vellore. Nonetheless, in general the Government of India recognizes Sri Lankans fleeing violence at home to be refugees and accordingly grants them protection.

♤ Bhutanese Refugees- Since 1949, Bhutanese citizens have been permitted to move freely across the Indian border. An Open border between India and Nepal and India and Bhutan is provided for by a treaty between the respective states, last updated in February 2007. The right to residence, study, and work are guaranteed without the need for identity papers.

♤ Hindu Pakistani Refugees- Roughly 1,15,000 people displaced from Pakistan have arrived in India since 1965. They can avail Indian citizenship as per the recent amendments made in the Citizenship Act in 2019.

♤ Rohingyas- Rohingya are people who reside in Rakhine State, Myanmar. In August 2017, the Government of India had announced that it was planning to deport all 40,000 Rohingya refugees living in the country. In a petition before the Supreme Court, it has been alleged that Rohingya trying to enter India were being forcefully pushed back to Myanmar in violation of their human rights. A bench led by the Chief Jutice of India is hearing a batch of petitions filed by some rohingyas against their deportation home in the face of imminent death.

♤ Chakmas and Hajongs- Chakmas and Hajongs are ethnic people who lived in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, most of which are located in Bangladesh. They had to leave their homeland bordering India and Myanmar because of Kaptai dam project in 1960s.

o They allegedly faced religious persecution and entered India through Lushai Hills district of Assam (now Mizoram). The Centre had moved majority of them to North Eastern Frontier Agency (now Arunachal Pradesh).

o Now the Centre has decided to provide citizenship to Chakma (Buddhist) and Hajong (Hindus) refugees as per the Supreme Court's 2015 order. However, this is being opposed by the indigenous people of Arunachal. In light of these protests, the Centre has decided to grant ‘limited citizenship’ to them. They will not get land rights or be recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in Arunachal Pradesh so that the rights of the indigenous people are not diluted

♤ Palestinian Refugees- 160 Palestinians are currently seeking refugee status and are the most recent refugee group to arrive in India. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Delhi has recognized some of the Palestinians as refugees and other applications are under consideration. These refugees have not been issued residence permits by the Indian government.