Investment banker says 2.2 lakh Indians give up citizenship every year: ‘Charm of clean air, water excites them’

Ahuja explained that despite India being one of the fastest-growing economies globally, the gains are not reaching everyone equally. He argued that when the top 5 per cent of income earners are removed from the equation, the country’s per capita income nearly halves, fuelling the belief among many that opportunities abroad offer fairer rewards for their efforts.

“Which is why people leave for education, then take up jobs abroad, and after completing the requisite term, switch over their citizenship. And then of course, the charm of clean air, water also excites them,” Ahuja wrote.

He also pointed to the large-scale migration of highly skilled professionals. According to him, about 7,500 Indian doctors are currently working overseas, nearly 67 per cent of professors prefer employment outside India, and roughly one-third of IIT graduates eventually move abroad.

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The most popular destinations for Indians who give up citizenship, according to Ahuja, are the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Germany. In response to the growing resistance to immigration in some of these countries, he said, “This is why the US, Canada, and UK now have such a negative stance on immigration because they feel Indians are coming to eat our jobs.”

He further noted that countries actively welcoming Indian professionals have shifted in recent years. “If you have to focus on going overseas now… the countries inviting Indians have switched over to the likes of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Italy, Australia, Finland, Japan, and New Zealand…And the best streams for you to crack jobs abroad are IT and Medicine… not Commerce or Liberal Arts,” Ahuja concluded.

The post quickly gained traction online, sparking a wide range of reactions in the comments section. One user summed up their view bluntly: “It’s not a brain drain. It’s a trust deficit.”

Another individual commented, “This data clearly shows that people want better quality of life and wealth preservation. In India, polluted cities and over-congestion compounded with bad infrastructure is adding salt to the wound of high taxation. So no wonder why people who have in demand skills are leaving. Our taxation must be liberalised further and civic infrastructure must be prioritised for this brain drain to stop. Mere intent and policy documents are not enough but actual execution must happen in next 10 years so we will attract these talented people back to India for India’s economic growth.”

A third person added, “This isn’t just a brain drain story. It’s about where professionals feel their skills compound faster, with structure, respect, and clearer institutional support.”

A fourth user commented, “It’s disheartening to see so many seeking opportunities abroad. The challenges here are real, and your insights resonate deeply with many of us.”