The Indian Ministry of External Affairs emphasized that Indian students in the US must adhere to local laws following the detention of a postdoctoral fellow in Virginia and the voluntary departure of another student who faced allegations related to Palestinian causes.
The Indian embassy and consulates in the US are ready to assist students who encounter difficulties. However, neither Badar Khan Suri, the postdoctoral fellow detained by the Department of Homeland Security in Arlington, Virginia, nor Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian student who self-deported to Canada, have reached out for help. Suri’s detention occurred on Monday night, just days after Srinivasan left the US amid accusations of involvement with Hamas activities.
External affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated that visa and immigration policies are sovereign matters for each country. “Just as we expect foreign nationals in India to follow our laws, we expect Indian nationals abroad to comply with local laws and regulations,” he stated. Regarding Suri’s case, Jaiswal mentioned, “Neither the US government nor this individual has approached us or the embassy.”
Jaiswal also noted that the Indian authorities were not informed of Srinivasan’s departure until it was reported in the media. Srinivasan, however, has expressed in interviews that she sought assistance from Indian authorities, while denying any involvement in supporting Hamas or Palestinian causes.
With a growing number of Indian students in the US, particularly in graduate STEM programs, India aims to strengthen educational ties with the US. According to the Indian embassy, there were around 300,000 Indian students in the US by January 2025, and they contribute nearly $8 billion annually to the US economy.
The actions taken against Suri and Srinivasan are part of a broader effort by US authorities to address individuals involved in supporting Palestinian causes. A US district court judge recently blocked Suri’s deportation after the Department of Homeland Security accused him of spreading Hamas propaganda and having ties to a suspected terrorist. Suri’s lawyer and employer have denied these allegations, and Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles has ruled that Suri cannot be removed from the US unless the court issues a contrary order.
Suri is married to Mapheze Saleh, whose father, Ahmed Yousef, was a former deputy foreign minister in the Hamas government in Gaza.
