GS 3 – Internal Security
Context:
Voluntary exits of undocumented migrants along India’s eastern border tripled in 2025 compared to 2024, indicating intensified enforcement and changing migration patterns.
Scale and Patterns:
- Primary Origin: Bangladesh remains the largest source of undocumented migrants.
- Illegal Entries: 1,372 people intercepted along the Bangladesh border until July 2025.
- Voluntary Exits: 3,536 undocumented migrants returned via BSF-facilitated exits (till July 2025).
- Apprehensions: Between June–October 2024, cases rose over 30%, peaking annually.
- Recent Apprehensions: 2,355 Bangladeshi entrants caught between Jan 2024–Mar 2025.
- Other Nationalities: 153 non-Bangladeshis apprehended during the same period.
Challenges Posed:
- Large Inflows: Porous borders and economic pull factors strain governance and resources.
- Demographic Stress: Alters ethnic composition in Assam and Tripura, increasing local tensions.
- Security Risks: Borders exploited by insurgent groups like ULFA.
- Resource Strain: Public health and education systems overburdened.
- Labour Market Impact: Wages depressed in informal sectors like construction in Kolkata suburbs.
- Political Polarisation: Identity-based politics intensified, e.g., West Bengal elections.
- Criminal Networks: Border districts used for trafficking.
- Administrative Burden: Verification backlogs strain Assam’s Foreigners Tribunals and border police.
Causes of Recent Surge in Voluntary Exits:
- Stronger Enforcement: MHA launched nationwide deportation campaigns in Dec 2024.
- Political Instability: Regime change in Bangladesh (2024) increased voluntary exits.
- Deterrent Operations: Actions like Operation Sindoor created psychological deterrence.
- Nationwide Raids: Intensified in Delhi, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Odisha border areas.
- Document Scrutiny: Aadhaar cancellations and “negative lists” enhanced migrant detection.
About Voluntary Exit:
- Allows migrants to return home without formal deportation, unlike non-consensual pushbacks.
- Implementation increased significantly in early 2025, reducing detention congestion.
- Aligns with UNHCR principles for voluntary repatriation.