The United States has deported as many as 18,822 Indian nationals since 2009, including 3,258 this year since January 2025, the Union government told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Responding to supplementaries in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said state governments and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have also investigated cases of human trafficking , in which Punjab has the maximum number of cases.

"Since 2009, a total of 18,822 Indian nationals have been deported to India," the minister informed the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question.

He said 617 Indians had been deported in 2023, and as many as 1,368 were deported in 2024.

"Since January 2025, a total of 3,258 Indian nationals have been deported by the United States to India. Of the

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