Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in India
India: Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of was 238,643 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in India, 1964–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
In 2025, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in India stood at 238,643.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 18.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in India peaked at 262,802 in 1993 and was at its lowest, 3,510, in 1981.
That places India 31st out of 179 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in India, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 44,000 | — |
| 1965 | 45,000 | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 45,000 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 50,000 | +11.1% |
| 1968 | 55,000 | +10.0% |
| 1969 | 56,150 | +2.1% |
| 1970 | 56,500 | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 56,180 | -0.6% |
| 1972 | 57,680 | +2.7% |
| 1973 | 58,840 | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 59,900 | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 3,510 | -94.1% |
| 1982 | 5,010 | +42.7% |
| 1983 | 6,930 | +38.3% |
| 1984 | 7,200 | +3.9% |
| 1985 | 6,720 | -6.7% |
| 1986 | 6,440 | -4.2% |
| 1987 | 6,720 | +4.3% |
| 1988 | 6,645 | -1.1% |
| 1989 | 9,549 | +43.7% |
| 1990 | 212,743 | +2127.9% |
| 1991 | 210,569 | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 258,372 | +22.7% |
| 1993 | 262,802 | +1.7% |
| 1994 | 258,342 | -1.7% |
| 1995 | 227,481 | -11.9% |
| 1996 | 233,371 | +2.6% |
| 1997 | 223,072 | -4.4% |
| 1998 | 185,516 | -16.8% |
| 1999 | 180,031 | -3.0% |
| 2000 | 170,940 | -5.0% |
| 2001 | 169,548 | -0.8% |
| 2002 | 168,853 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 164,754 | -2.4% |
| 2004 | 162,683 | -1.3% |
| 2005 | 139,284 | -14.4% |
| 2006 | 158,358 | +13.7% |
| 2007 | 161,534 | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 184,539 | +14.2% |
| 2009 | 185,318 | +0.4% |
| 2010 | 184,814 | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 185,118 | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 185,644 | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 188,391 | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 199,931 | +6.1% |
| 2015 | 201,379 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 197,848 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | 197,142 | -0.4% |
| 2018 | 195,887 | -0.6% |
| 2019 | 195,103 | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 195,373 | +0.1% |
| 2021 | 212,413 | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 242,835 | +14.3% |
| 2023 | 252,867 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | 236,763 | -6.4% |
| 2025 | 238,643 | +0.8% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 238,643 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 11,476, 20.8× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of in India changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +2127.9% | 9,549 | 212,743 |
| 1981 | -94.1% | 59,900 | 3,510 |
| 1989 | +43.7% | 6,645 | 9,549 |
| 1982 | +42.7% | 3,510 | 5,010 |
| 1983 | +38.3% | 5,010 | 6,930 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 49,192 | 44,000 | 56,150 | 6 |
| 1970s | 57,820 | 56,180 | 59,900 | 5 |
| 1980s | 6,525 | 3,510 | 9,549 | 9 |
| 1990s | 225,230 | 180,031 | 262,802 | 10 |
| 2000s | 166,581 | 139,284 | 185,318 | 10 |
| 2010s | 193,126 | 184,814 | 201,379 | 10 |
| 2020s | 229,816 | 195,373 | 252,867 | 6 |
Countries ranked near India
More social development data for India
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 238,643 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in India?
- Refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of in India was 238,643 in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 262,802 in 1993.
- What is the lowest refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 3,510 in 1981.
- How does India rank for refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of?
- India ranks 31st out of 179 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugees under the mandate of the unhcr by country or territory of rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of Refugee Population Statistics Database, UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asylum with 148 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.