top of page

Daily Mains Question – GS 3 – 25th June 2025

  • Writer: TPP
    TPP
  • Jun 25
  • 4 min read
Daily Mains Question – GS 3 – 25th June 2025

Welcome to your daily Mains Model Answer — designed to deepen your understanding of how emerging technologies are reshaping the landscape of immigration control and deportation in India. This question explores the role of digital identification systems, biometric data collection, and coordinated inter-agency platforms in tackling illegal immigration, particularly from Bangladesh, while critically assessing their implications for due process, human rights, and federal governance.

The context is set by Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025, which marks a decisive shift toward a digitised and centralised deportation strategy. Rooted in the complex migration history between India and Bangladesh—ranging from colonial labour flows to the 1971 refugee crisis—this issue remains one of India’s most persistent socio-political challenges. The government's tech-enabled solutions, such as the Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP) and the IVFRT District Police Module, have made real-time data verification and biometric tracking possible across multiple jurisdictions. Yet, concerns around due process violations, humanitarian fallout, and the absence of reliable data raise serious ethical and administrative questions. This topic holds high relevance for GS Paper 2 (Governance, Role of Technology in Internal Security, and Issues Related to Federalism) and GS Paper 3 (Internal Security, Border Management, and Technology Use in Policing).

 

Click Here to read the Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP)

 

QUESTION

Discuss how technology is transforming the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants, assessing both its benefits and limitations.

Answer: The identification and deportation of illegal immigrants have long posed significant challenges for India, especially in regions like Assam that have witnessed historic and contemporary influxes from neighbouring countries, particularly Bangladesh. In recent years, the Government of India has adopted a more technology-driven approach to tackle illegal immigration. The ongoing Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, is a case in point, marking a significant shift toward organised, digitised deportation.

Historical Context and Magnitude of the Issue

Migration between what is now Bangladesh and India predates modern borders and can be traced back to the colonial era:

  • During British rule, the colonial administration encouraged labour migration into the sparsely populated Assam region, especially from Bengal and North India.

  • Post-partition, millions of East Pakistani refugees (predominantly Hindus) migrated to India due to religious persecution.

  • The 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War further exacerbated migration. Over 10 million people, mainly Hindus, sought asylum in India during the crisis.

This long history of migration has led to demographic changes and socio-political unrest, particularly in northeastern states like Assam, where the issue of illegal immigration continues to be politically sensitive and socially volatile.

Despite attempts to control migration, the India-Bangladesh border, though largely fenced, remains porous in parts. Bangladeshi migrants, particularly labourers, are noticeable in urban informal sectors across India. However, there is no official or commonly accepted figure for the number of undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants in the country—estimates vary significantly.

 

Technological Interventions in Identification and Deportation

To address the issue systematically, the government has increasingly turned to technology-based solutions:

  1. Identification Portals and Databases:

    • The Ministry of Home Affairs launched identification.mha.gov.in, initially for Rohingya immigrants, to collect biographic and biometric data.

    • In 2023, this was upgraded to the Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP), expanding coverage to Bangladeshi migrants. The portal:

      • Records detailed profiles of suspected illegal immigrants.

      • Is accessible by States/UTs and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

      • Facilitates verification and, upon failure, initiates expulsion through the Foreigners' Regional Registration Offices (FRROs).

  2. District Police Module (DPM) on IVFRT Portal:

    • Also launched in 2023 under the Immigration Visa Foreigner Registration Tracking (IVFRT) system.

    • Assists police in tracking overstaying foreigners and integrates data across jurisdictions for coordinated enforcement.

  3. Biometric Capture Infrastructure:

    • Border Security Force (BSF) outposts, detention centres, and police stations are now equipped with fingerprint scanners, cameras, and digital terminals.

    • This enables accurate identification, tracking, and prevents re-entry through biometric matching.

 

Operation Sindoor: A Case Study

As part of the broader strategy, Operation Sindoor, launched in May 2025, exemplifies how technology supports field-level implementation:

  • Approximately 2,500 alleged illegal Bangladeshi immigrants have already been “pushed back” across the international border.

  • The government has enforced a 30-day deadline for verification of illegal migrants.

  • Identified individuals are being airlifted by Indian Air Force aircraft from multiple states, including Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, and Assam, to border points in Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya.

 

Benefits of Technology in Deportation Process

  • Efficiency and Speed: Tech-enabled verification and database access allow quicker identification and streamlined deportation.

  • Reduced Duplication: Biometric data prevents re-entry of previously deported individuals.

  • Coordination: Platforms like IVFRT and FIP enhance inter-agency coordination between state police, MEA, and FRROs.

  • National Security: Tracking overstayers and unregistered individuals helps in preventing potential security threats.

 

Limitations and Concerns

Despite these advancements, the approach faces critical challenges:

  1. Humanitarian and Legal Concerns:

    • Allegations of due process violations, including lack of proper legal representation and premature expulsion.

    • Some migrants reportedly abandoned in no-man’s land, sparking diplomatic and humanitarian issues.

  2. Pending Litigation: Legal challenges concerning identification criteria, wrongful detention, and refugee status recognition remain unresolved in courts.

  3. Lack of Accurate Data: Without a credible baseline figure, policy interventions risk being either inadequate or excessive.

  4. State Capacity: Uneven digital infrastructure across states may hinder the full utilisation of centralised portals like FIP and IVFRT.

 

The government’s recent deportation drive, aided by digitised identification systems and biometric tracking, marks a significant shift in India’s handling of illegal immigration. While Operation Sindoor and portals like FIP and IVFRT offer promising tools for enforcement, the success of such efforts depends not just on technological integration but also on ensuring due process, humanitarian safeguards, and regional diplomatic cooperation, especially with Bangladesh. Technology must act as an enabler of justice, not a replacement for it.

 

Previous Daily UPSC Mains Question

 

 

Stay updated with the latest news by joining our Telegram channel – The PRESS Pad , and follow us on Instagram and X.

 

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet
Add a rating
bottom of page