Modi-Trump friendship tested as shackled Indians face 40-hour deportation flight

India has raised concerns over the treatment of its citizens during a recent U.S. deportation flight.

One deportee, Jaspal Singh, said he took out a loan of 4 million rupees for his journey to the United States, during which he witnessed the deaths of other migrants in the jungle, according to BBC News.

The U.S. military flight carried 104 Indians accused of entering the country illegally, says BBC News. Deportees claimed they were handcuffed throughout the 40-hour journey. 

In a statement on Feb. 6 India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, told Parliament the government was working with U.S. authorities to ensure proper treatment of its citizens. He also clarified that women and children are not restrained during the flight and that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) provided deportees with food and medical care. 

In the same statement Jaishankar assured Parliament that India is "engaging the U.S. government to ensure that the returning deportees are not mistreated in any manner during the flight." However, he stressed the importance of tackling illegal migration networks while facilitating legal travel. "Our focus should be on a strong crackdown on the illegal migration industry, while taking steps to ease visas for the legitimate traveler," he said in the same statement. He added that law enforcement agencies would take "necessary preventive and exemplary actions" based on information from returning deportees about those involved in smuggling operations.

The New York Times reported that the use of a military aircraft and claims of mistreatment created political challenges for Prime Minister Narendra Modi just days before his scheduled visit to Washington. Opposition lawmakers staged protests in Parliament, with some wearing handcuffs and carrying signs reading "Humans, not prisoners." The situation was particularly sensitive as Modi had previously described then-President Donald Trump as a "dear friend."

According to the New York Times report, Sukhpal Singh, a 35-year-old chef from Punjab who was among the deportees, told his father that all adults on the flight were handcuffed and had their feet shackled. The same article also reported that the Indian government was balancing domestic outrage with its commitment to addressing illegal immigration concerns raised by the Trump administration.

Multiple Indian lawmakers, according to CBS News, disrupted Parliament proceedings with protests over the alleged mistreatment. The news outlet noted that while the U.S. deported more than 1,000 Indian migrants last year on commercial flights without incident, this military transport marked a significant shift in approach.

U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks shared on X video footage showing deportees being led onto the plane in chains, calling it the longest deportation flight using military transport. The U.S. State Department defended the deportations as an effective deterrent against unauthorized immigration. ICE maintained that restraining adult deportees is standard practice to ensure flight safety and prevent security risks, though it sometimes removes restraints upon arrival at the destination country’s request.

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