Gaps in Migration Governance in India: Challenges, Policy Failures and Reforms

Context: Recent evacuation operations in West Asia underscore India’s efficient crisis management capabilities, while also exposing weaknesses in its long-term migration governance architecture.

Migration Governance in India

• Scale of Migration: Both internal and international migration are significant in India, driven by factors such as employment opportunities, education, and socio-economic disparities.
• Economic Significance: India continues to be the largest recipient of remittances globally (around $125 billion, World Bank 2023), highlighting migration’s contribution to economic resilience.
• Labour Market Role: Migrant workers play a crucial role in sectors like construction, manufacturing, and services, particularly in urban centres and Gulf economies.
• Development Linkages: Migration contributes to poverty alleviation, skill enhancement, and regional growth, while simultaneously revealing structural vulnerabilities.

Key Highlights of India’s Migration Governance

• India facilitated the evacuation of over 4.75 lakh citizens from West Asia in 2026, demonstrating strong diplomatic coordination and logistical capacity.
• An estimated 99 lakh Indians currently reside in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations (2025).
• The Gulf region accounts for nearly 38% of India’s total remittance inflows (2023–24).
• Overall, migration governance in India remains disjointed, reactive, and lacking robust data systems.

Crisis-Oriented Approach

• Focus on Evacuations: Government action tends to intensify during emergencies such as COVID-19 (Vande Bharat Mission) or regional conflicts.
• Incomplete Policy Coverage: There is limited attention to the full migration cycle, including pre-departure preparation, workplace conditions abroad, and reintegration upon return.
• Visibility vs. Structure: While crisis responses generate public confidence, they often conceal deeper institutional shortcomings.
• Preventive Gaps: The lack of early warning mechanisms and systematic tracking of migrant workers results in delayed policy responses.

Dependence on the Gulf Region

• Significant Diaspora Presence: The GCC countries host nearly 99 lakh Indian migrants, forming a major migration corridor.
• Remittance Reliance: About 38% of India’s remittances originate from the Gulf, playing a vital role in household incomes and regional economies.
• Employment Patterns: A large proportion of Indian workers in the region are employed in construction, domestic services, and other low-skilled sectors, often under vulnerable conditions.
• Geopolitical Risks: Any instability in West Asia has direct repercussions for India’s economy, employment landscape, and welfare concerns.

Associated Challenges

Fragmented Institutional Structure

• Multiplicity of Agencies:
  • Ministry of External Affairs handles emigration and diplomatic coordination
  • Ministry of Labour focuses on worker welfare
  • State governments manage skilling initiatives and welfare programmes
• Coordination Deficit: Migration spans from the local (district) to the global level, yet governance remains compartmentalised.
• Policy Fragmentation: There is no single nodal body overseeing the entire migration cycle from departure to return.
• Uneven Implementation: Differences in state capacity result in inconsistent support systems for migrants.

Data Gaps and Limited Visibility

• Absence of Real-Time Data: India lacks detailed, up-to-date migration databases, particularly for internal migrants.
• Policy Blind Spots: Inadequate data hampers forward-looking governance and effective targeting of welfare measures.
• Lessons from COVID-19: The migrant crisis exposed the lack of portable entitlements and comprehensive worker registries.
• Kerala as a Model: Kerala’s migration surveys and welfare mechanisms illustrate the benefits of a data-driven approach.

Structural Weaknesses

• Insecure Employment Conditions: Migrants frequently work under informal agreements, unstable wages, and substandard conditions.
• Cost of Living Pressures: Rising inflation, fuel costs, and living expenses erode real earnings and savings potential.
• Exploitative Recruitment Practices: Weak regulation of intermediaries often results in debt bondage and worker exploitation.
• Reintegration Challenges: Returning migrants face difficulties in finding jobs, utilising skills, and accessing social protection.

Policy Initiatives and Emerging Opportunities

• Overseas Mobility Facilitation and Welfare Bill: Seeks to establish a comprehensive framework for migrant protection and support.
• Bilateral Labour Partnerships: India is expanding cooperation with Gulf nations to strengthen labour rights and worker safety.
• Digital Governance Tools: Platforms such as e-Migrate can enhance transparency and monitoring, though wider coverage is needed.
• Skill Alignment: Linking skilling programmes with global labour market demands can promote safer and more efficient migration pathways.

Migration as a Lifecycle Process

• Lifecycle Perspective: Governance should cover all phases of migration:
  • Pre-departure → Employment → Welfare → Return → Reintegration
• Holistic Policy Approach: Internal and international migration must be treated as interconnected components of a single system.
• Strengthening Social Protection: Initiatives like One Nation One Ration Card improve portability of benefits.
• Inclusive Governance Vision: Migrants should be recognised as key economic contributors rather than temporary labour.

Way Forward

• Establish a Unified Migration Authority: Create an integrated body to ensure comprehensive oversight across the migration cycle.
• Build a National Migration Database: Develop real-time, localised data systems to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Expand Social Security Coverage: Ensure access to portable welfare schemes, insurance, and benefits.
• Tighten Recruitment Regulation: Curb exploitation through stronger monitoring and accountability of recruitment agencies.
• Deepen International Cooperation: Strengthen labour protections through robust bilateral and multilateral agreements.

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