Immigration Hubs

The number of foreign immigrants living in India is steadily declining, but India continues to be among the 10 countries with the highest inmigration in the world. At the same time, India sends the fourth largest number of emigrants to other countries. In 2010, there were 5.4 million foreign-born persons living in India, according to new estimates released by the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. These numbers make India home to the ninth largest number of foreign-born persons in the world. But this number has been in continuous fall since post-Partition migration and an influx of refugees from Bangladesh following the 1971 war. In 1990, there were 7.5 million foreignborn persons living in India, and by 2000 this number was down to 6.4 million, on account of the death of these older immigrants and refugees. While a source countrywise break-up is not available for immigrants in India in 2010, past trends indicate that the likes of French diplomats in Delhi, American investment bankers in Mumbai and British techies in Bangalore form a tiny part of this diaspora. The United States remains by far the world’s biggest destination for immigrants and this number continues to grow. India is also the world’s fourth biggest exporter of people; in 2010, India sent out over 5.6 million people as emigrants. Mexico, China and Pakistan form the top three. Though not the largest group, Indian emigrants sent home more money in remittances – 39 billion USD – than any other country’s emigrants.