The Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Friday stated that Indian students in the US need to comply with local laws in light of recent developments relating to two students accused of involvement in activities related to Palestinian causes.
In a media conference, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal clarified that both the Indian embassy and US consulates stand ready to offer any assistance to any students having problems, but neither of the two students involved has approached Indian authorities for such help. Jaiswal demystified the fact that the individuals had not approached Indian authorities for assistance.
Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, was detained in Arlington, Virginia, by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday. His detention was reportedly linked to his support for the Palestinian cause. This occurred just days after Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student at Columbia University, self-deported to Canada after being accused of supporting Hamas-related activities.
Jaiswal stressed that visa and immigration policies are sovereign issues of every nation. "When foreign nationals visit India, they have to abide by our laws and regulations, and we expect the same from Indian nationals abroad," he said. In the case of Suri's detention, he further added that neither the US government nor Suri himself had contacted the Indian embassy for help. Also, the embassy had not received a call from Srinivasan prior to leaving for Canada. Jaiswal affirmed that the embassy only discovered her departure via media reports and added that she had rejected allegations of helping Hamas or Palestinian causes.
Besides, Jaiswal noted that the number of Indian students in the US is still on the increase, highlighting India's desire to enhance educational relations with the US. "The knowledge partnership and participation of our students in US universities is an important aspect of our relationship," he said, indicating a wish to increase these educational exchanges.
He also assured that the Indian embassy and consulates in the US are dedicated to assisting students if they encounter any problems and that their safety and well-being is a priority.
As of January 2025, there are around 300,000 Indian students in the US, primarily in graduate STEM courses, reports the Indian embassy. The Indian students add nearly $8 billion each year to the US economy, as recorded by the US State Department.
The moves by US officials against Suri and Srinivasan, as part of a larger campaign by the Trump administration to target individuals associated with Palestinian causes, have caused alarm among Indian students. After Suri was detained, a US district court judge ordered his deportation to be halted. Suri is charged by the US Department of Homeland Security with "spreading Hamas propaganda" and being "close associates of a known or suspected terrorist," which his employer and lawyer have rebutted. Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles ordered that Suri cannot be deported from the US unless the court orders otherwise.
Suri is wedded to Mapheze Saleh, whose father, Ahmed Yousef, was a deputy foreign minister in the Hamas administration in Gaza.
