India issued over 96 lakh e-visas since 2020; expanded access to 181 countries: Govt

 

India has granted over 96.4 lakh e-visas to foreign nationals from January 2020 to July 20, 2025, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed Parliament on Thursday.

In a written response to a query in the Rajya Sabha, Singh stated that the number of countries eligible for India’s e-visa facility has increased from 171 in 2020 to 181 in 2025. “Total number of e-visas granted from 2020 to 20.07.2025 is 96,44,567,” he said.

The Ministry of External Affairs was also asked to detail its role in facilitating travel for international pilgrims, particularly with reference to the annual Hajj pilgrimage and visits to Sikh religious sites in Pakistan.

Hajj and Kartarpur pilgrim data shared

"Each year, the Saudi authorities announce a Hajj quota for India. In recent years, this quota has, on average, been set at 1,75,025 Indian pilgrims," Singh noted in his response.

Speaking on the Kartarpur Corridor, Singh said over 4 lakh pilgrims have used the route since its inauguration in 2019. However, he added, “Kartarpur Corridor operations have been suspended since Operation Sindoor.”

He recalled that India and Pakistan had signed a bilateral agreement on October 24, 2019, to operationalise the corridor and facilitate pilgrimages to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Narowal, Pakistan, ahead of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s 550th birth anniversary.

16 lakh Indian workers cleared for jobs abroad since 2020

In response to another question, Singh said 16,06,964 Indian workers holding Emigration Check Required (ECR) passports were issued emigration clearance for employment in ECR countries between January 2020 and June 2025.

This group includes Indian labourers engaged in construction or other labour-intensive work, especially in Gulf and Southeast Asian nations.

Diaspora data: 1.88 million Indian students now abroad

The government also provided updated diaspora numbers. As of January 2025, there are 17.17 million NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) and 17.18 million Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) globally. An additional 1.88 million Indian students are studying abroad.

However, Singh clarified that “the Government has not carried out any exercise to categorise the Indian diaspora on the basis of their discipline/subject expertise or to map their skill sets.”