The Union foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, has stated that the deportation of illegal Indian migrants from the United States of America is not unprecedented. Such deportations, Mr Jaishankar pointed out, took place regularly, with the number of returnees varying on a yearly basis. But the recent incident of the US sending back 104 Indians hailing from five states cannot be dismissed as a mundane development either. The biggest reason for this is that the US is now helmed by Donald Trump for whom illegal immigrants are the proverbial red rag. Given that Indians account for one of the largest contingents of illegal immigrants to the US, New Delhi should prepare itself to handle more such evictees. The Indians were sent back in a military aircraft and a video shared by the US border patrol showed the deportees in handcuffs and their legs in chains. Mr Jaishankar has denied that women and children were restrained, adding that deportation procedures, which came into effect since 2012, allowed for restraint. While agreeing to take back its citizens, New Delhi must be mindful of the treatment meted out to the deportees. The timing of their return is of significance too. The Indian prime minister is scheduled to meet Mr Trump next week. It remains to be seen whether Narendra Modi’s supposed personal chemistry with Mr Trump yields concessions on this issue.

The real challenge for India, though, is to tackle the issue of illegal outmigration. This is a hydra-headed phenomenon. Today, migration out of India is no longer limited to the proverbial ‘brain drain’. It would not be unreasonable to argue that successive Indian governments have failed to meet the aspirations of a segment of Indians, especially the young. Diminishing returns from traditional occupations like agriculture, the scarcity of employment, poor quality of life and governance, mediocre educational institutions, minimal social security, some would even add contracting liberties, among other factors, make the West an alluring destination for many Indians. Resolving these challenges can only be a long-term goal. In the short-term, the perils posed by illegal immigration facilitated by dubious agencies should be publicly disseminated along with the formulation of a protective legal framework.