A refugee is a person who has been forced to flee their home country because of violence, dispute, or repression. A refugee generally fears repression due to their ethnic background, religious doctrine, nationality, political beliefs, or membership in a specific social group. It is more probable that they are unable or fearful of returning home. The partition of India in 1947 marked the start of the refugee influx. By the beginning of 2010, the country had taken in nearly 450,00 refugees from both within and outside the region.
For centuries, refugees have resided in India. The most important fact to remember is that, with the exception of the transborder movement of people during the country's partition in 1947, there has never been a single incident of a refugee leaving Indian territory. On the other hand, it has continuously been a receiving nation, thus further broadening its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic material. As part of its secular principles, India has accepted refugees from all religions and splinter groups. It is worth noting that, since its independence, India has accepted refugees from far-flung countries as well as from some of its neighbors, including Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, and Uganda.
India had also dealt with "refugee" issues bilaterally. Refugees are, without the need for a doubt, "foreigners." In India, they are currently dealt with under established Indian laws, both general and particular, that are generally relevant to all foreign people, even if there is a case to differentiate them from the rest of the "foreign people." India needs to create institutional and legal mechanisms to protect illegal immigrants and refugees, as both groups are treated equally under Indian law and are protected by the Foreigners Act of 1946. Although there are significant differences between refugees and illegal immigrants, India appears to lack the legal means to deal with each group separately. Furthermore, India is not a member of the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol, which regulate refugee protection.
There are so many challenges faced by India because of this refugee crisis: Inadequate legal and medical support, Refugee women and children at risk, Risk of being detained, and Inability to participate in government programs. Myanmar recently held Rohingya refugees. On August 25, when violence started in Rakhine State, Myanmar, vast numbers of Rohingya have been forced to flee their homes. Five years later, more than one million Rohingya have managed to remain in temporary shelters in the absence of a state. In other words, India must initiate a global dialogue on the issue by trying to draw on its exceptional, if not flawless, record of refugee protection.
Some of the current legal framework for handling refugees in India are: The Indian Constitution’s Article 51, The 1946 Foreigners Act, Indian Passport (Entry) Act of 1920The 1939 Registration of Foreigners Act,1955 Citizenship Act,2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).People seeking shelter are in a difficult situation and see a glimpse of optimism in a welcoming and open country. Given this, a refugee intake should occur, but not at the cost of the native community. As a result, it is critical that India develop a clear refugee policy.
References
Refugee Crisis in India. (2022, September 30). GeeksforGeeks. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/refugee-crisis-in-india/
Riyas, A. F. (2023, January 27). Refugee Crisis in India. ClearIAS. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.clearias.com/refugee-crisis-in-india/
Sandhu, K., & Sebastian, M. (2022, August 19). Rohingya and CAA: What is India's refugee policy? BBC. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62573446
Supporting refugees in India: What we achieved in 2021 - India. (2022, March 4). ReliefWeb. Retrieved March 31, 2023, from https://reliefweb.int/report/india/supporting-refugees-india-what-we-achieved-2021