There are more than 18 million people from India living abroad, a recent report from the United Nations said. The country receives huge amounts of money from the Non-Resident Indian workforce and entrepreneurs. 

But the law that governed emigration- that is the Emigration Act, 1983-  is nearly 40 years old. The National Democratic Front government has put out a draft Emigration Bill in 2019, aiming to replace the 1983 Act. The draft Bill of 2021, which does not have many changes, is expected to be taken up in the ongoing monsoon session of the Parliament.

Suno India’s Jaison G spoke to Professor S Irudaya Rajan, an expert in this issue and senior journalist, Jayanth Jacob who have been following the issue of emigration for decades to understand the new Bill and the issues surrounding emigration.

Additional reading:
International Migration 2020 Highlights