Deported illegal Indian immigrants land in Amritsar aboard US military aircraft

A U.S. military aircraft carrying undocumented Indian immigrants landed in Amritsar, India, on Wednesday as part of President Donald Trump's strict immigration policies.

The aircraft deported between 104 and 205 individuals, primarily from Punjab and Gujarat, according to a Reuters eyewitness.

This operation reflects a notable shift in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement strategy, which increasingly relies on military resources—using military aircraft for deportations and military bases to house migrants.

Reuters had reported on Tuesday that the C-17 aircraft carrying the migrants had departed for India but was not expected to arrive for at least 24 hours. The flight did not appear on public flight trackers, but local TV channels aired footage of the aircraft taxiing after landing in Amritsar.

Migration has been a key topic of discussion between India and the U.S. since Trump took office last month. The issue is expected to be on the agenda during Trump’s upcoming meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, likely to take place in Washington next week.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to working with India to address "concerns related to irregular migration" during his meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar last month.

New Delhi has stated that it will accept the return of such individuals after verifying their identities.

The U.S. is India’s largest trading partner, and both nations are deepening strategic ties to counter China. Additionally, India is eager to collaborate with the U.S. to streamline access to skilled worker visas for its citizens.

The Pentagon has announced plans to deport over 5,000 migrants currently in U.S. custody. Reuters recently reported that a similar deportation flight to Guatemala likely cost at least $4,675 per migrant.