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{{About|Refugees residing in India|illegal immigration to India|Illegal immigration in India}}
[[File:Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center Darjeeling West Bengal India (3).JPG|175px|thumb|Tibetan Refugee Self Help Center Darjeeling in [[West Bengal]]]]
'''Refugees in India''' refers to the history of [[refugee]]s in [[India]]. The country has seen large influx of refugee populations throughout history.
 
'''Refugees in India''' refers only to those who have been generally accepted as ''"legal [[refugee]]s"'' under the [[Law of India|legal framework of India]]. This includes Tibetan and Sri Lankan Tamils refugees, victims of [[Expulsion of Asians from Uganda|1972 expulsion of Ugandans of Indian-origin]], Indic-origin religious minorities fleeing from the majoritarian persecution during [[partition of India|1947 riots in Pakistan]] and [[1971 Bangladesh genocide]]. Since India is birth place of [[Indian religions|Indic religions]] ([[Buddhist]]s, [[Hindus]], [[Jain]]s and [[Sikh]]s) the practitioners of these religions being persecuted elsewhere are generally accepted as refugees in India.
While it has not signed the [[Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees|1951 Refugee Convention]], the Government of India has recognized immigrants from [[Tibetan people|Tibet]] and [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Sri Lanka]] as refugees in the past, providing free education and some identification documentation to the former,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/06/23/tibetan-refugees-india-passports-not-property|title=Tibetan Refugees in India Get Passports, Not Property|website=The Quint|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> while the latter have been provided access to the local education system, welfare benefits and housing in government-funded camps in the two most southern states of India since the 1980s up until the early 2000s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/lankan-refugees-in-dilemma-over-return/articleshow/57565017.cms|title=Sri Lankan refugees in dilemma over return - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> In 2019, the government also reduced the residency requirements for Non-Muslim illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan from twelve years to six years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/1SgfOPNmwOQqU5QIFxTvuI/Citizenship-bill-glimmer-of-hope-for-Hindu-Sikh-refugees-fr.html|title=Citizenship bill glimmer of hope for Hindu, Sikh refugees from Afghanistan|last=PTI|date=2019-01-06|website=Mint|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>
 
Foreigners entering or staying in [[India]] without a valid visa are officially [[illegal immigration|illegal immigrants]],<ref name=please/> who must be arrested and deported,<ref name==foreigner2/> specially because they pose national security, economic security, law and order, demographic and social risks.<ref name=threat1/><ref name=threat2/><ref name=threat3/><ref name=threat4/><ref name=threat6/> India is not a signatory to the [[Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees|1951 Refugee Convention]],<ref name=LegalMigrantsOnly1/> consequently the United Nations principle of [[non-refoulement]] and [[impediment to expulsion]] do not apply to India.
==Refugees from Greater Iran (in Iran today)==
According to [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] legend 27(see [[Qissa-i Sanjan]]), a few centuries after the conquest of the [[Sassanid Empire]] and the subsequent collapse of Zoroastrianism as a state-sponsored religion, at least one group of Zoroastrians eventually migrated to what is now the Indian state of [[Gujarat]] to maintain their [[Zoroastrian]] religious tradition.<ref>"Desh Pardesh: The South Asian Presence in Britain", p. 252, by Roger Ballard</ref> Although this 16th/17th century legend is taken at face value by the majority of the [[Parsi people|Parsis]], persecution was not yet a significant issue at the time of migration (11th century at the latest). Given that the same legend observes that they migrated from [[Sanjan (Khorasan)|Sanjan]] (in present-day Turkmenistan), the decline of [[silk road]] trade in favour of sea-route trade makes it equally likely that their immigration was economically motivated. For details, see [[Parsi people#History|Parsi history]].
 
This article covers only the ''"legal refugees"'' (not same as "illegal immigrants") after the 1947 [[independence of India]] covered under the legal framework of India. This article specifically excludes the ''"the present day [[Illegal immigration to India|illegal immigrants to India]]"'' (such as [[Rohingyas]], Bangladeshis, etc), who more appropriately covered in the [[Illegal immigration to India]]. This article also excludes the ''"existing legal [[Indian citizen]]s"'', who have their origin in [[independence of India|pre-independence]] migration of diaspora of other nations to India (such as [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] and [[Parsi people|Parsis]]), these Indian citizens more appropriately belong in the [[demographics of India]] and [[history of India]].
Although isolated groups of zoroastrians may be presumed to have immigrated between the 12th and 16th centuries, due to persecution (for instance, the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] emperor [[Akbar the Great|Akbar]] encouraged relocation of skilled [[Iranian peoples|Iranians]]&mdash;irrespective of their religion). Immigration of Zoroastrians for socio-religious reasons is only again documented during Iran's [[Qajar dynasty|Qajar]] era (1794–1925) when persecution of non-Muslims was rampant and by which time the Indian Zoroastrians had established special funds to assist their Iranian co-religionists. The descendants of these newer immigrants are known as [[Irani (India)|Irani]]s.
 
==History==
==Partition of 1947==
Historically, over the centuries India has offered shelter to people fleeing from persecution in their homeland.
 
[[Parsi people]] ([[Zoroastrian]])s have immigrated to India due to persecution between the 12th and 16th centuries. According to [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrian]] legend 27 (see [[Qissa-i Sanjan]]), a few centuries after the conquest of the [[Sassanid Empire]] and the subsequent collapse of Zoroastrianism as a state-sponsored religion, at least one group of Zoroastrians eventually migrated to what is now the Indian state of [[Gujarat]] to maintain their [[Zoroastrian]] religious tradition.<ref>"Desh Pardesh: The South Asian Presence in Britain", p. 252, by Roger Ballard</ref> The descendants of newer Zoroastrian immigrants fleeing persecution of non-Muslims by Iran's [[Qajar dynasty]] (1794–1925) are known as [[Irani (India)|Irani]]s..<ref>{{cite web| title = Emigration of Iranian Elites to India during the 16-18th centuries | url = http://asiecentrale.revues.org/480 | accessdate = 2013-12-17| first = Haneda | last = Masashi }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = What sets Zoroastrian-Iranis apart | accessdate = 2018-06-24 | first = Padmaja | last = Shastri | url = https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/What-sets-Zoroastrian-Iranis-apart/articleshow/572604.cms }}</ref>
[[Population transfer|Massive population exchanges]] occurred between the two newly formed nations in the months immediately following Partition. Once the lines were established, about 14.5 million people crossed the borders to what they hoped was the relative safety of religious majority. Based on 1951 Census of displaced people, 7.226 million Muslims went to Pakistan from India while 7.249 million Hindus and Sikhs moved to India from Pakistan immediately after partition. About 11.2 million or 78% of the population transfer was on the west, with Punjab accounting for most of it; 5.3 million Muslims moved from India to West Punjab in Pakistan, 3.4 million Hindus and Sikhs were moved from Pakistan to East Punjab in India; elsewhere in the west 1.2 million moved in each direction to and from Sind. The initial population transfer on the east involved 3.5 million Hindus moving from East Bengal to India and only 0.7 million Muslims moving the other way.{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}}
 
At the time of independence of India, Parsis and Iranis of India retained the right of legal "citizenship of India".
==Tibetan refugees==
{{see also|Tibetan diaspora}}
[[File:Lady in Tibetan refugee camp, India.jpg|180px|thumb|A [[Tibetan people|Tibetan woman]] in an Indian refugee camp]]
Following in the footsteps of the [[14th Dalai Lama]] more than 150,000 Tibetan refugees have fled to India during the past 60 years. He left with his initial entourage following the abortive [[1959 Tibetan uprising]]. He was followed by about 80,000 Tibetan refugees. [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] agreed to provide all assistance to the Tibetan refugees to settle in India until their eventual return). 120,000 refugees remain in India today. The Tibetan diaspora maintains a [[Central Tibetan Administration|government in exile]] in [[Himachal Pradesh]], which coordinates political activities for Tibetans in India. The Tibetan government-in-exile functions from [[McLeod Ganj]], a suburb of [[Dharamshala]].
 
==Legal framework==
In 1960, the Government of Mysore (as [[Karnataka]] was called at that time) allotted nearly {{convert|3000|acre|km2}} of land at [[Bylakuppe]] in [[Mysore district]] in Karnataka and the first ever Tibetan exile settlement, [[Lugsung Samdupling]] came into existence in 1961. A few years later another settlement, [[Tibetan Dickey Larsoe]], also called TDL, was established. This was followed by the establishment of three more settlements in Karnataka state making it the state with the largest Tibetan refugee population. [[Rabgayling]] settlement was created in [[Gurupura]] village near Hunsur, [[Dhondenling]] was established at [[Oderapalya]] near [[Kollegal]] and [[Doeguling]] settlement came into being at [[Mundgod]] in [[Uttara Kannada]] district, all in Karnataka. The [[Bir Tibetan Colony]] was established in [[Bir, Himachal Pradesh]]. Other states have provided land for Tibetan refugees. Jeerango located at Gajapati district in Odisha has a large Tibetan Community and also has South Asia's largest Buddhist monastery.
 
===Indian citizens and National Register of Citizens ===
The Government of India built special schools for Tibetans that provide free education, health care and scholarships for those students who excel in school. There are a few medical and civil engineering seats reserved for Tibetans. Tibetans live in India with a stay permit which is processed through a document called Registration Certificate (RC). It is renewed every year, or half-year in some areas. Every Tibetan refugee above the age of 16 must register for the stay permit. RCs are not issued to new arrival refugees. The Indian Government also issues [[Indian Identity Certificate]] ("Yellow Books") after one years' processing with a RC, which allow Tibetans to travel abroad.
[[Indian nationality law]] is governed by the ''"Citizenship Act 1955"'' (Articles 5 to 11 (Part II) of the [[Constitution of India]]), which has been amended by the Citizenship (Amendment) Acts of 1986, 1992, 2003, 2005, and 2015.
 
[[National Register of Citizens of India]] (NRC) is a register maintained by the [[Government of India]] containing names & certain relevant information for identification of [[Indian people|Indian]] citizens of [[Assam]] state.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.business-standard.com/about/what-is-nrc|title=WHAT IS NRC|work=Business Standard India|access-date=2019-10-02}}</ref> The register was first prepared after the [[1951 Census of India]] and since then the exercise to update it for the first time commenced only recently due to an order of the [[Supreme Court of India]] in year 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/states/north-east/couple-who-set-nrc-ball-rolling-248806 |title=Couple who set NRC ball rolling |work=The Telegraph |access-date=2018-08-20 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/national-register-of-citizens-in-assam-issue-of-illegal-foreigners-continues-to-be-a-major-political-one/articleshow/47657561.cms|title=National Register of Citizens in Assam: Issue of illegal foreigners continues to be a major political one|newspaper=The Economic Times|date=14 June 2015|last1=Seetharaman|first1=G.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/india/assam-overhaul-of-national-register-of-citizens-sparks-controversy/story-O082SAiZUXEc9ZRWfpsvDO.html|title=Assam: Overhaul of National Register of Citizens sparks controversy|date=29 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/national-register-of-citizens-in-assam-issue-of-illegal-foreigners-continues-to-be-a-major-political-one/articleshow/47657561.cms |title=National Register of Citizens in Assam: Issue of illegal foreigners continues to be a major political one - The Economic Times |publisher=Economictimes.indiatimes.com |date=2015-06-14 |accessdate=2015-09-05|newspaper=The Economic Times |last1=Seetharaman |first1=G. }}</ref>
 
Government of India and various state government<ref name=illegalbang2>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rohingyas-bangladeshi-refugees-likely-target-of-khattar-govt-s-updated-nrc/story-j3YxmWY0589N5w02ulCglK.html Rohingyas, Bangladeshi refugees likely target of Khattar govt’s updated NRC], Hindustan Times, 16 September 2019.</ref><ref name=banglacatch1>[https://www.newsclick.in/dgp-asks-top-cops-start-identifying-illegal-bangladeshi-and-foreigner-immigrants UP DGP Asks Top Cops to Start Identifying Illegal ‘Bangladeshi and Foreigner’ Immigrants], NewsClick, 1 October 2019.</ref> are at varying stages of implementing the NRC at national and state level.
 
===Foreigners===
Those without the valid Indian citizenship or a visa are "illegal immigrants". The illegal immigrants are subjected to [[The Foreigners Act, 1946]] which defines the foreigner as a person who is not a citizen of India.<ref name="please/> Where the nationality of a person is not evident, the onus of proving whether a person is a foreigner or not shall lie upon such person.<ref name=please/> Furthermore, anyone who believes that a foreigner has entered India, or the owners and managers of property where such foreigner resides illegally in India has the duty to inform the nearest police station within 24 hours of the presence of such foreigner.<ref name=please>[https://indiankanoon.org/doc/27376/ The Foreigners Act, 1946], Indian Kanoon.</ref> Foreigners Act empowers the Indian administration to detain a person until he/she is deported back to his/her own country.<ref name==foreigner2>{{citation |title=In Strident Campaign, Jammu Politicians Target Rohingya Muslim Refugees |url=https://thewire.in/106280/jammu-rohingya-muslim-myanmar-refugee |work=[[The Wire]] |date=7 February 2017 }}</ref>
 
====Illegal migrants ====
Preventing entry of illegal migrant to India is Important. Illegal migrants impose pressure on Indian populace, pose a security threat specially in sensitive areas like Jammu and West Bengal.<ref name=threat1>{{Cite web |url=http://scobserver.clpr.org.in/rohingya-deportation-case-day-3-arguments/ |title=Archived copy |access-date=19 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219151621/http://scobserver.clpr.org.in/rohingya-deportation-case-day-3-arguments/ |archive-date=19 February 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> For example, the Indian security establishments opinioned that "Some Rohingyas sympathizing with many militant group's ideologies may be active in Jammu, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mewat and can be a potential threat to [[National Security Strategy (India)|internal security]]."<ref name=threat2>{{cite news|title=Rohingya presence poses national security threat: Centre to SC|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/supreme-court-rohingya-muslims-myanmar-rajnath-singh-4849051/|accessdate=6 October 2017|date=18 September 2017}}</ref> Women and girls also get trafficked to India,<ref name="CIA Factbook">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/in.html|title=The World Factbook|date=|work=cia.gov}}</ref> several of whom have been forced into prostitution.<ref name=threat3>[http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/banglad.htm Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, Factbook on Global Sexual Exploitation, Donna M. Hughes, Laura Joy Sporcic, Nadine Z. Mendelsohn and Vanessa Chirgwin] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415124641/http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/banglad.htm |date=2012-04-15 }}</ref><ref name=threat4>Trafficking in Bangladeshi Women and Girls, by Bimal Kanti Paul; Syed Abu Hasnath, Geographical Review, p.268-276, April 2000</ref><ref name=threat6>[https://www.un.org/esa/gopher-data/ga/cedaw/17/country/Bangladesh/C-BGD3-4.EN Third and fourth periodic reports of States parties], COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN, UNITED NATIONS</ref>
 
All ''"illegal immigrants"'' are not refugees according to the Indian law. Since India is not a signatory to the [[Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees|1951 Refugee Convention]],<ref name=LegalMigrantsOnly1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/06/23/tibetan-refugees-india-passports-not-property|title=Tibetan Refugees in India Get Passports, Not Property|website=The Quint|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/lankan-refugees-in-dilemma-over-return/articleshow/57565017.cms|title=Sri Lankan refugees in dilemma over return - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> the United Nations principle of [[non-refoulement]] and [[impediment to expulsion]] do not apply in India. Illegal immigrants seeking are denied [[impediment to expulsion]] if they do not fall within the host country's legal definition of lawful refugee. In such cases, these people are considered illegal immigrants.<ref>[http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{"fulltext":["impediment to expulsion"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170328055357/http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{ |date=28 March 2017 }},"kpthesaurus":["350"]} Search results on "Impediment to expulsion" in the European Court of Human Rights archive</ref>
 
[[Illegal_immigration|Illegal immigrants are defined]] as people migrate to a country in violation of the [[immigration law]]s of that country, or the continued residence of people without the legal right to live in that country. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, from poorer to richer countries.<ref>{{cite journal|first=Mark|last=Taylor|title=The Drivers of Immigration in Contemporary Society: Unequal Distribution of Resources and Opportunities|journal=Human Ecology|volume=35|number=6|date=December 2007|doi=10.1007/s10745-007-9111-z|pages=775–776}}</ref> Illegal residence in another country creates the risk of being detained and deported, or facing other sanctions.<ref>{{cite journal|first=V. M.|last=Briggs|title=The State of U.S. Immigration Policy: The Quandary of Economic Methodology and the Relevance of Economic Research to Know|journal=Journal of Law, Economics and Policy|volume=5|number=1|year=2009|pages=177–193|url=http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/articles/256|accessdate=10 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221074428/http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/articles/256/|archive-date=21 December 2009|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
 
In 2005, the [[Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983]] was struck down by the [[Supreme Court of India]] which held that this act "has created the biggest hurdle and is the main impediment or barrier in the identification and deportation of illegal migrants."<ref>[http://indiankanoon.org/doc/1436100/ Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983], Indian Kanoon.</ref> On 9 August 2012, the Supreme Court hearing a [[Public interest litigation in India|public interest litigation]] petition for deportation of illegal migrants, was told that the policy of Government of India does not support any kind of illegal migration either into its territory or illegal immigration of its citizens, the Government is committed to deporting illegal Bangladeshi migrants, but only lawfully.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article3747019.ece |title= Committed to deporting illegal migrants, but only lawfully: Centre|date=10-08-2012}}</ref>
 
====Legal refugees====
 
Since India is not a signatory to the [[Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees|1951 Refugee Convention]],<ref name=LegalMigrantsOnly1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thequint.com/india/2017/06/23/tibetan-refugees-india-passports-not-property|title=Tibetan Refugees in India Get Passports, Not Property|website=The Quint|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/trichy/lankan-refugees-in-dilemma-over-return/articleshow/57565017.cms|title=Sri Lankan refugees in dilemma over return - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref> those laws do not apply in India.
 
After independence [[Government of India]] has recognized immigrants only from the [[Tibetan people|Tibet]] and [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Sri Lanka]] as refugees in the past, providing free education and some identification documentation to the former.<ref name=LegalMigrantsOnly1/>
 
[[Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016]] once passed in the Parliament, the illegal migrants from persecuted minority communities like [[Hindu]], [[Sikh]], [[Buddhist]], [[Jain]], [[Parsi]] or [[Christians|Christian]] coming from neighbouring [[Afghanistan]], [[Bangladesh]], and [[Pakistan]] will be eligible for [[Indian citizenship]],<ref>{{cite web |title=The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 |url=https://prsindia.org/sites/default/files/bill_files/Citizenship%20%28A%29%20Bill%2C%202019%20as%20passed%20by%20LS.pdf |website=PRS India |accessdate=17 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 |url=https://www.prsindia.org/billtrack/the-citizenship-amendment-bill-2016-4348 |website=PRS India - Ministry of Home Affairs |accessdate=17 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What is the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016? |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/gk-current-affairs/story/what-is-citizenship-amendment-bill-2016-1372701-2018-10-22 |website=India Today |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref> excluding people from the [[Muslim]] community [majority community of those nations] (also see [[Two-nation theory (Pakistan)]] and resultant [[Partition of India]] and [[1971 Bangladesh genocide|1971 Bangladesh genocide during war of liberation of Bangladesh]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=What is the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016? |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/what-is-the-citizenship-amendment-bill-2016/article23999348.ece |website=The Hindu |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref> It also relaxes the requirement of residence in India, to become eligible for the citizenship of India, from 11 years to 6 years for these migrants.<ref>{{cite web |title=JPC report on Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 tabled in Lok Sabha |url=http://ddnews.gov.in/national/jpc-report-citizenship-amendment-bill-2016-tabled-lok-sabha |website=dd News |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livemint.com/Politics/1SgfOPNmwOQqU5QIFxTvuI/Citizenship-bill-glimmer-of-hope-for-Hindu-Sikh-refugees-fr.html|title=Citizenship bill glimmer of hope for Hindu, Sikh refugees from Afghanistan|last=PTI|date=2019-01-06|website=Mint|language=en|access-date=2019-03-04}}</ref>
 
==Refugees of Indian-origin faiths facing persecution in neighouring nations ==
{{see also | Persecution of Hindus | Persecution of Buddhists | Persecution of Sikhs}}
 
===Refugees from Afghanistan (of Indic faiths) ===
{{see also | Persecution_of_Hindus#Afghanistan | l1= Persecution of Non-Muslim minorities in Afghanistan}}
 
Currently there are around 8,000 to 11,684 Afghan refugees in India, most of whom are Hindus and Sikhs.<ref name="UNHCR">{{cite web|url=https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2005/5/428c967e4/afghan-refugees-search-indian-identity.html|title=Afghan refugees in search of Indian identity|date=19 May 2005|work=UNHCR}}</ref><ref name="india today">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/20011022-suspicion-poverty-ill-health-and-lack-of-work-dog-afghan-asylum-seekers-in-india-774462-2001-10-22|title=Suspicion, poverty, ill-health and lack of work dog Afghan asylum seekers in India|work=India Today|date=22 October 2001}}</ref> The Indian government has allowed the [[UNHCR India]] to operate a programme for them.<ref>[http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/a-band-born-out-hope A band born out of hope] 4 August 2011</ref>
 
===Refugees from Bangladesh ===
====Refugees from 1971 genocide of Bangladesh ====
{{See also | East Bengali refugees | 1971 Bangladesh genocide | Bongal Kheda | Bangladesh Liberation War | List of massacres in Bangladesh }}
 
==Refugees from Bangladesh==
{{see also|East Bengali refugees}}
During the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]], the Bangladesh-India border was opened to allow Bengalis fleeing [[Razakar (Pakistan)|Razakars]]. The state governments of India, such as [[West Bengal]], [[Assam]], [[Meghalaya]] and [[Tripura]] established refugee camps along the border. During their stay in India, these refugees were trained and heavily armed to take part in Indian proxy war against Pakistan Armed forces in Bangaldesh. As the war in [[Bangladesh]] escalated an estimated 10 million refugees fled to [[India]] causing financial hardship and instability in Bangladesh due to [[1971 Bangladesh genocide]]s and as well as regional conflicts in the north-eastern states.
 
Some of the people from East Bengal, mainly [[Hindu]]s, migrated to West Bengal during the [[Partition of India]] in 1947. These refugees were sometimes referred to as Bangals by the native population of West Bengal. Hindus made up 30% of the total population of [[East Bengal]] in 1947. However, after the [[Partition of India|partition]], the Hindu population went down to 19% in 1961.<ref name="saikia">Saikia, Jaideep, [http://acdis.illinois.edu/assets/docs/257/TerrorsansFrontiersIslamicMilitancyinNorthEastIndia.pdf Terror Sans Frontiers: Islamic Militancy in North East India], Appendix 5, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, July 2003.</ref> On 1991, it was down to 10.5%<ref>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3452.htm United States Department of State]</ref> and on 2001 census, it was 9.2% which is estimated to be further down to 8% at 2008.<ref>http://hrcbm.org/</ref> Later, in 1941 census on whose basis, Partition was made showed 45.5% Hindus & now 28% in entire Bengal region comprising West Bengal & Bangladesh. The Muslim population in the neighbouring West Bengal has increased from 9% in 1951 (down from 19% in 1941 due to influx of Hindu Refugees from Bangladesh) to 28% in 2001 according to Census of India.
 
====Buddhist Chakma refugees displaced in 1962 from Bangladesh ====
[[Bangladeshi]] [[Buddhist]] [[Chakma people|Chakma]] immigrants<ref>{{cite web |title=Won't hesitate to leave BJP forum |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/wont-hesitate-leave-bjp-forum-714827.html |website=deccanherald |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref> from [[Bangladesh]] have settled in the southern part of [[Mizoram]] because they were <ref>{{cite web |title=Why are some Mizos on streets against Citizenship Bill? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-are-mizos-saying-hello-china-bye-bye-india-in-street-protests-5554008/ |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref> displaced by the construction of [[Kaptai dam]] on the [[Karnaphuli River]] in 1962,<ref>{{cite web |title=50 years on, Chakma refugees from Bangladesh |url=https://scroll.in/article/845129/50-years-on-chakma-refugees-from-bangladesh-are-still-denied-citizenship-rights-in-arunachal |website=scroll |accessdate=27 January 2019}}</ref> as there was no rehabilitation and compensation, they fled from [[Bangladesh]] to [[India]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Advertising How Chakmas and Hajongs settled in North East, why Arunachal worries about citizenship |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-chakmas-and-hajongs-settled-in-north-east-why-arunachal-worries-about-citizenship-4851866/ |website=Indianexpress |accessdate=27 January 2019}}</ref>
 
====Recent arrival of refugees of "minority religions of Bangladesh"====
In 2001 it was reported that many Bangladeshi Hindu families have crossed the border into India to escape repression in Bangladesh.<ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1670410.stm</ref><ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1609049.stm</ref><ref>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/1645499.stm</ref>
 
===Refugees from Pakistan ===
[[Bangladeshi]] [[Buddhist]] [[Chakma people|Chakma]] immigrants<ref>{{cite web |title=Won't hesitate to leave BJP forum |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/national/east-and-northeast/wont-hesitate-leave-bjp-forum-714827.html |website=deccanherald |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref> from [[Bangladesh]] have settled in the southern part of [[Mizoram]] because they were <ref>{{cite web |title=Why are some Mizos on streets against Citizenship Bill? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-why-are-mizos-saying-hello-china-bye-bye-india-in-street-protests-5554008/ |accessdate=26 January 2019}}</ref> displaced by the construction of [[Kaptai dam]] on the [[Karnaphuli River]] in 1962,<ref>{{cite web |title=50 years on, Chakma refugees from Bangladesh |url=https://scroll.in/article/845129/50-years-on-chakma-refugees-from-bangladesh-are-still-denied-citizenship-rights-in-arunachal |website=scroll |accessdate=27 January 2019}}</ref> as there was no rehabilitation and compensation, they fled from [[Bangladesh]] to [[India]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Advertising How Chakmas and Hajongs settled in North East, why Arunachal worries about citizenship |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/how-chakmas-and-hajongs-settled-in-north-east-why-arunachal-worries-about-citizenship-4851866/ |website=Indianexpress |accessdate=27 January 2019}}</ref>
 
====Refugees of 1947 partition of India====
{{see also | Two-nation theory (Pakistan) | Partition of India | Hinduism_in_Pakistan#Decline_and_persecution | l3= Persecution of Non-Muslim minorities in Pakistan }}
 
[[Population transfer|Massive population exchanges]] occurred between the two newly formed nations in the months immediately following Partition. Once the lines were established, about 14.5 million people crossed the borders to what they hoped was the relative safety of religious majority. Based on 1951 Census of displaced people, 7.226 million Muslims went to Pakistan from India while 7.249 million Hindus and Sikhs moved to India from Pakistan immediately after partition. About 11.2 million or 78% of the population transfer was on the west, with Punjab accounting for most of it; 5.3 million Muslims moved from India to West Punjab in Pakistan, 3.4 million Hindus and Sikhs were moved from Pakistan to East Punjab in India; elsewhere in the west 1.2 million moved in each direction to and from Sind. The initial population transfer on the east involved 3.5 million Hindus moving from East Bengal to India and only 0.7 million Muslims moving the other way.{{Citation needed|date=May 2014}}
 
====Recent arrival of refugees of "minority religions of Pakistan"====
Non-muslims face the constitutional, legal and institutionalized persecution, discrimination and denial of their equal human rights. Consequently, people of Indic faith (Hindus and Sikhs) fleeing from Pakistan have regularly sought refugee in independent India.
 
==Refugees from Pakistan==
There are almost 400 Pakistani Hindu refugee in Indian cities, such as Ahmedabad and Surat in Gujarat and Jodpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jaipur in Rajasthan.<ref>http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Law-to-rehabilitate-Hindu-refugees-from-Pakistan-Bangladesh/articleshow/46901845.cms</ref> In 2015 the Indian government granted citizenship to 4,300 Hindu and Sikh refugees from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Most of the refugees were from Afghanistan.<ref>http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/4300-hindu-and-sikh-refugees-from-pakistan-and-afghanistan-get-citizenship-in-india/article7316028.ece</ref>
 
===Refugees from Tibet ===
==Afghan refugees==
{{see also|Tibetan diaspora}}
More than 60,000 Afghan refugees came to India in the years following the 1979 to 1989 [[Soviet–Afghan War]]. The Indian government does not officially recognise them as refugees, but has allowed the [[UNHCR India]] to operate a programme for them.<ref>[http://www.rnw.nl/english/article/a-band-born-out-hope A band born out of hope] 4 August 2011</ref> Currently there are around 8,000<ref name="UNHCR">{{cite web|url=https://www.unhcr.org/news/latest/2005/5/428c967e4/afghan-refugees-search-indian-identity.html|title=Afghan refugees in search of Indian identity|date=19 May 2005|work=UNHCR}}</ref> to 11,684 Afghan refugees in India.<ref name="india today">{{cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/story/20011022-suspicion-poverty-ill-health-and-lack-of-work-dog-afghan-asylum-seekers-in-india-774462-2001-10-22|title=Suspicion, poverty, ill-health and lack of work dog Afghan asylum seekers in India|work=India Today|date=22 October 2001}}</ref> All of the Afghan refugees in India are Hindus and Sikhs.<ref name="UNHCR"/> They are often viewed with suspicion and are target of racism. Majority of the Afghan refugees in India live in poverty.<ref name="india today"/>
[[File:Lady in Tibetan refugee camp, India.jpg|180px|thumb|A [[Tibetan people|Tibetan woman]] in an Indian refugee camp]]
Following in the footsteps of the [[14th Dalai Lama]] more than 150,000 Tibetan refugees have fled to India during the past 60 years. He left with his initial entourage following the abortive [[1959 Tibetan uprising]]. He was followed by about 80,000 Tibetan refugees. [[Jawaharlal Nehru]] agreed to provide all assistance to the Tibetan refugees to settle in India until their eventual return). 120,000 refugees remain in India today. The Tibetan diaspora maintains a [[Central Tibetan Administration|government in exile]] in [[Himachal Pradesh]], which coordinates political activities for Tibetans in India. The Tibetan government-in-exile functions from [[McLeod Ganj]], a suburb of [[Dharamshala]].
 
In 1960, the Government of Mysore (as [[Karnataka]] was called at that time) allotted nearly {{convert|3000|acre|km2}} of land at [[Bylakuppe]] in [[Mysore district]] in Karnataka and the first ever Tibetan exile settlement, [[Lugsung Samdupling]] came into existence in 1961. A few years later another settlement, [[Tibetan Dickey Larsoe]], also called TDL, was established. This was followed by the establishment of three more settlements in Karnataka state making it the state with the largest Tibetan refugee population. [[Rabgayling]] settlement was created in [[Gurupura]] village near Hunsur, [[Dhondenling]] was established at [[Oderapalya]] near [[Kollegal]] and [[Doeguling]] settlement came into being at [[Mundgod]] in [[Uttara Kannada]] district, all in Karnataka. The [[Bir Tibetan Colony]] was established in [[Bir, Himachal Pradesh]]. Other states have provided land for Tibetan refugees. Jeerango located at Gajapati district in Odisha has a large Tibetan Community and also has South Asia's largest Buddhist monastery.
== Sri Lankan Tamilians ==
 
The Government of India built special schools for Tibetans that provide free education, health care and scholarships for those students who excel in school. There are a few medical and civil engineering seats reserved for Tibetans. Tibetans live in India with a stay permit which is processed through a document called Registration Certificate (RC). It is renewed every year, or half-year in some areas. Every Tibetan refugee above the age of 16 must register for the stay permit. RCs are not issued to new arrival refugees. The Indian Government also issues [[Indian Identity Certificate]] ("Yellow Books") after one years' processing with a RC, which allow Tibetans to travel abroad.
{{Main|Sri Lankan Tamils in India}}
 
==Refugees of Indian-origin facing ethnic persecution ==
 
===[[Sri Lankan Civil War|Sri Lankan Tamils refugees of 1983-2009 Sri Lankan Civil War]]===
{{Main|Sri Lankan Tamils in India | Sri Lankan Civil War }}
There are more than 100,000 [[Sri Lankan Tamils]] in India, most of whom migrated during the rise of militancy in Sri Lanka. Most Sri Lankans are settled only in the southern states of [[Tamil Nadu]] (in [[Chennai]], [[Madurai]], [[Tiruchirappalli]], [[Coimbatore]]), [[Karnataka]] (in [[Bangalore]]) and [[Kerala]]<ref>http://www.rediff.com/news/apr/14lanka.htm</ref> which have significant Sri Lankan Tamil populations.
 
===[[Expulsion of Asians from Uganda|Ugandans of Indian-origin expelled in 1972]]===
==Rohingya people==
[[File:Aziaten die Oeganda uitgewezen zijn op Schiphol, groep Aziaten na aankomst, Bestanddeelnr 926-0503.jpg|thumb|Expelled Asians in the Netherlands after leaving Uganda, 1972]]
{{main | Expulsion of Asians from Uganda }}
 
[[Expulsion of Asians from Uganda|Refugees of expulsion of Ugandans of Indian-origin in 1972]], Indic-origin religious minorities fleeing from the majoritarian persecution during [[partition of India|1947 riots in Pakistan]] and [[1971 Bangladesh genocide]]. Since India is birth place of [[Indian religions|Indic religions]] ([[Buddhist]]s, [[Hindus]], [[Jain]]s and [[Sikh]]s) the practitioners of these religions being persecuted elsewhere are generally accepted as refugees in India.
 
In early August 1972, the [[President of Uganda]], [[Idi Amin]], ordered nearly 80,000 [[Indians in Uganda]] (mostly [[Gujarati people|Gujaratis]] to be expelled within 90 days.<ref name="BBC On This Day">{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/7/newsid_2492000/2492333.stm|title=1972: Asians given 90 days to leave Uganda|last=|first=|date=7 August 1972|work=|publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation|via=|accessdate=29 October 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/international/story/19790515-hopes-soar-among-ugandan-asians-as-idi-amin-dictatorial-regime-falls-822011-2014-02-28|title=Hopes soar among Ugandan Asians as Idi Amin's dictatorial regime falls|date=February 28, 2014|first=K|last=Srinivas|publisher=[[India Today]]}}</ref><ref name="toi">{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/Gujaratis-survived-Idi-Amin-fuelled-East-Africas-economy/articleshow/3625352.cms|title=Gujaratis survived Idi Amin, fuelled East Africa’s economy|date=October 22, 2008|first1=Ashish|last1=Vashi|first2=Ankur|last2=Jain|publisher=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>) This included 23,000 Indians who already had Ugandan citizenship.<ref name="Amin-Indophobia">{{harvnb|Patel|1972|pp=12&ndash;19}}</ref> They were later exempted from the expulsion, many chose to leave voluntarily.<ref name="Jørgensen1981">{{citation|last=Jørgensen|first=Jan Jelmert|title=Uganda: a modern history|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=09MNAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA288|accessdate=12 August 2010|year=1981|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-85664-643-0|ref=harv}}, pp=285–290}}</ref> The expulsion took place against a backdrop of [[Anti-Indian sentiment|Indophobia]] in Uganda.<ref name="Amin-Indophobia" /> Of these 4,500 refugees ended up in [[India]].<ref name="Jørgensen1981" /> In total, some 5,655 firms, ranches, farms, and agricultural estates were reallocated, along with cars, homes and other household goods.<ref name="Jørgensen1981" />
{{Main|Rohingya people}}
 
==See also==
Rohingya people are ethnic Muslims of [[Rakhine State]], Burma. Rohingyas have been declared as the most persecuted ethnic group in the world by the UNHCR. India hosts a significant number of Rohingyas in [[Delhi]], [[Hyderabad]], [[J&K]], [[West Bengal]] and [[Northeast India]]. The Indian government does not officially recognise them as refugees and consider them illegal immigrants.
* [[Illegal immigration to India]]
* [[Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016]]
* [[The Foreigners Act, 1946]]
* [[Indian nationality law]]
* [[National Register of Citizens of India]]
* [[Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983]]
* [[Illegal immigration to India]]
* [[Bongal Kheda]]
 
==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}
 
===External links===
*[http://www.yowangdu.com/tibet/tibet-tibetan/walking-on-the-sky.html Walking on the Sky: A Tibetan Refugee's Himalayan Escape]
 
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