On World Refugee Day (20 June 2026) Indian and international NGOs renewed pressure on New Delhi to enact a comprehensive asylum framework and stop the forced return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar and Bangladesh. Digital campaigns bearing the hashtag #SolidarityWithRefugees trended on Indian social media, amplified by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and dozens of student collectives. India hosts roughly 280,000 refugees but is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention. In absence of a legal status, most seek refuge under ad-hoc executive orders that can be rescinded at will.
![World Refugee Day sparks fresh calls for an Indian asylum law and a halt to Rohingya deportations]()
Amid the broader uncertainty around entry and stay permissions, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers a practical resource for travellers, employers and even advocacy groups trying to decode the latest visa categories. The platform tracks real-time policy changes—such as the mooted long-stay visit visas—and provides step-by-step document support, helping applicants stay compliant while saving time.
Since the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 took effect, lawyers say deportations have accelerated: Bangladesh’s border force reported more than 1,500 push-backs in May–June alone. Activists used the global spotlight to lobby for a pending private member’s bill that would establish a Refugee Determination Commission and grant work permits to recognised refugees. They argue that regularising the population would curb trafficking, boost local economies and align India with its ‘Vishwa Guru’ soft-power narrative. Corporate mobility teams are watching closely. A formal asylum regime would clarify HR obligations for refugee hires, especially in the logistics and garment sectors that already employ Rohingya workers informally. Conversely, continued deportations raise reputational risks for companies whose supply chains rely on vulnerable labour. Government officials maintain that national security considerations require case-by-case decisions. However, they hinted at pilot ‘long-stay visit visas’ for Afghan and Sri Lankan migrants in the forthcoming Immigration Rules 2026-B, suggesting incremental movement toward a rules-based system.
Amid the broader uncertainty around entry and stay permissions, VisaHQ’s India portal (https://www.visahq.com/india/) offers a practical resource for travellers, employers and even advocacy groups trying to decode the latest visa categories. The platform tracks real-time policy changes—such as the mooted long-stay visit visas—and provides step-by-step document support, helping applicants stay compliant while saving time.
Since the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025 took effect, lawyers say deportations have accelerated: Bangladesh’s border force reported more than 1,500 push-backs in May–June alone. Activists used the global spotlight to lobby for a pending private member’s bill that would establish a Refugee Determination Commission and grant work permits to recognised refugees. They argue that regularising the population would curb trafficking, boost local economies and align India with its ‘Vishwa Guru’ soft-power narrative. Corporate mobility teams are watching closely. A formal asylum regime would clarify HR obligations for refugee hires, especially in the logistics and garment sectors that already employ Rohingya workers informally. Conversely, continued deportations raise reputational risks for companies whose supply chains rely on vulnerable labour. Government officials maintain that national security considerations require case-by-case decisions. However, they hinted at pilot ‘long-stay visit visas’ for Afghan and Sri Lankan migrants in the forthcoming Immigration Rules 2026-B, suggesting incremental movement toward a rules-based system.
