On this page, you will find:

To find organisations working for LGBTQI+ rights, visit our India LGBTQI+ Resources page.
For India country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents visit our India COI page. 

Refugee protection

Click here to see the numbers and origins of refugees hosted by India. 

The following sections contain information on the most important international treaties and agreements of which India is signatory, as well as national legislation relevant to the protection of refugees.

India is not a signatory to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, nor to its 1967 Protocol. India is neither a signatory to the 1954 UN Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons nor the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness.

India does not have a defined legal framework on refugee protection, despite attempts to formulate a legislation in the form of the Model National Law on Refugees and the Protection of Refugees and Asylum Seekers Bill. Refugee protection in India is predominantly based on executive policies, complementary legislation and judicial pronouncements. Asylum seekers from neighbouring countries (except Myanmar) are managed directly by the government. Asylum seekers from non-neighbouring countries and Myanmar are managed by UNHCR. UNHCR has a help page where further information can be found for Afghan nationals in India.

In December 2019 amendments were made to India’s citizenship laws. The new law allows all religious minority groups except Muslims from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to apply for citizenship, affecting both government-mandate and UNHCR-mandate refugees.  However, the amendments did not also clarify the criteria for the granting of refugee status.

For further analysis, see Shanker and Vijayraghavan, Refugee Recognition Challenges in India.

Legal aid organisations

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Address:122/4 Infantry Road, Next to Balaji Art Gallery, Bangalore, 560 001, India (Nearest bus stop: Shivajinagar | Map )
Tel.: +91 80 22 86 57 57
Email: contact@altlawforum.org

The Alternative Law Forum was established in 2000 as a response to the expanding social and economic injustices across India. The Alternative Law Forum is committed to providing qualitative legal services for marginalised groups. As a public resource, it provides a platform to enable collaborative and creative models of knowledge production.

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Address: 29 C, Rizal Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, (Behind Jesus & Mary College) Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021, India
Tel: +91 11 24 19 70 00
Secretary General’s Office: +91 11 26 11 76 41
E-mail: mail@aalco.int

AALCO is an organisation with 47 Asian and African countries comprising its members, including India. Its main purposes are to research and advise each of the member governments on international law and work closely with the UNHCR on refugee law matters.

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Address: 576, Masjid Road, Jungpura, 110 014 Delhi, India
Tel: +91 11 24 37 45 01 or +91 11 24 37 69 22
Email: contact@hrln.org

As an implementing partner of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the New Delhi office provides assistance for file renewals, naturalisation, legal aid and protection intervention. Network members work with mandate refugees from Afghanistan, Burma, Somalia, Sudan, Laos, Liberia, China, Bhutan, Palestine, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Bangladesh, Tibet and Ethiopia.

In addition to the work of the Network in New Delhi, members of the network throughout the country provide free legal aid to refugees and asylum seekers.

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Address: Head Office: B-41, First Floor, Soami Nagar, Main Road, New Delhi, 110017, India
Tel: +91 9711128603 | +91 11 41325408
Email: office@aratrust.in
Working hours: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm IST

M.A.P, an initiative of the Ara Trust, is India’s first and only refugee law centre. It aims to adopt innovative methods to expand the protection space available for forced migrants and refugees, mainly women and children, through programmes focusing on four thematic areas: legal empowerment, women & girls in conflict, research & policy, and advocacy & outreach. Its objective is to integrate migrants/refugees into existing legal systems and ensure access to universal human rights. M.A.P provides legal representation in the UNHCR asylum process, conducts a number of community-based legal awareness programmes with the aim of providing timely information about their legal rights under applicable laws, and identifies and trains members within displaced populations to act as “barefoot advocates” who then, operate as the first line of responders and lead the advocacy efforts for the community, and facilitates multi-sectoral linkages to its clients by making referrals to its network of civil society partners, who provide critical support services and ensure access to socio-economic entitlements.

Address: No. 73, Millers Road, Benson Town, CISRS Building, III Floor, Bangalore, 560 046, Chennai, India or  3rd Cross Street, Thiruvalluvar Nagar, Besant Nagar, 600 090, Chennai, India
Tel: +91 11 24 62 93 72 73
Email: mail.othermedia@gmail.com

The Other Media’s Refugee Desk provides legal assistance on an individual basis to refugees and asylum seekers, and works with refugee communities. They also carry out research and advocacy on the policy developments that have a bearing on refugee protection in India. The Other Media are a member of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network.

Organisations providing other support to refugees

Address: WZ-110/A, 1st Floor, Mahendi Club Building, Vikas Puri, New Delhi, 110 018, India
Tel: +91 11 45 66 06 19
Email: burmacentredelhi@gmail.com

The mission of BCD is to: create awareness on Burma’s political, social and economic crisis to the people of India so as to raise the level of consciousness on democracy movement in Burma; build and strengthen the relationship between the people of India and Burma for peace, democracy and human rights in the region; have a sustained campaign in India and serve as a resource centre to cater to the needs of the people of India and Burma; keep track of India’s relations with Burma, and pressurise the Indian Government to support the Burmese people’s aspirations for democracy and human rights; give space to the people of India to promote events supporting the people of Burma as a close neighbor given its shared history with Burma.

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Address: Wz-21, Budella, Vikas Puri, New Delhi, 110018, India
Tel: +91 88 02 04 80 21  or +91 98 71 84 04 09
Email: burmesewomendelhi@gmail.com
Contact Person: Roi San

Burmese Women Delhi is a community-based network that organises monthly interactive meetings among the range of Burmese women’s groups in New Delhi; encourages greater understanding of women’s rights, human rights, refugee rights, democracy, health and economic and social development; provides advocacy, intervention and support in violence against women cases in the Delhi Burmese community; and works cooperatively with a range of Indian women’s groups to improve the situation for Burmese women in New Delhi.

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Address: 2693-Magee Avenue, San Pablo, CA 94806, USA
Email: info@chinhumanrights.org

The Chin Human Rights Organisation (CHRO) is a non-governmental, non-profit advocacy organisation legally registered in Canada. It was formed in 1995 on the India-Burma border by a group of Chin activists committed to promoting democracy in Burma and raising international awareness of previously unreported human rights abuses being perpetrated against the Chin people by the Burmese military regime.

CHRO activities include:

  1. Documentation of violations of Human Rights in Western Burma and conducting advocacy 

  2. Making relevant reports about the situation 

  3. Human rights education to the people of China in Burma

In terms of refugee work:

  1. Refugee protection (advocacy for the local and central government to stop deportation in Mizoram, India)

  2. Providing humanitarian assistance to vulnerable refugee families in India and Malaysia

  3. Providing financial assistance for refugee children’s education

  4. Providing capacity training to refugee organisations.

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Tel: +91 83684 24652
Email: crcnewdelhi@gmail.com

CRC was initially established to address humanitarian issues, welfare (education, health, relief), security (counseling, legal assistance), and development of Chin refugees living in Delhi, the situation in Delhi has compelled CRC to get increasingly involved in advocating for the rights of the Chin refugees in Delhi. CRC has been instrumental in approaching UNHCR, the Government of India (GOI), and a variety of relevant agencies to address the living conditions of the Chin refugees in Delhi.

Specific objectives are: to solve survival problems by providing relief or assistance for needy refugees families, to give assistance for social and emotional needs, to give social and legal protection.

Address: Bishop’s House, Post Box. No. 6, Coimbatore, 641 001, Tamilnadu, India
Tel:  +91 94 43 13 91 52

The Society deals with the relief and rehabilitation of refugees.

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Tel: +91 11 46 11 745 or 46 22 379
Address: 10, Institutional area, Lodi road, New Delhi 110 003, India
Email: edoffice@isidelhi.org.in

The institute has committed itself in brining social transformation through socially relevant research, training and action, publication and advocacy works aimed at integral development of the marginalized communities, particularly the Dalits, Adivasis/tribals, women, minorities, unorganized and landless labourers in partnership with academicians, people’s movements, human rights organizations and ecological movements nationally and internationally.

Regional office website
Regional office phone: +91 7428872499
Regional office address: New Delhi, India
Regional office email: south.asia@jesref.org

In New Delhi, JRS supports urban refugees with vocational training, English courses, and computer classes. In Tamil Nadu, JRS  has been working with Sri Lankan refugees since the mid-1990s. In the camos, JRS has set up  Pedro Arrupe learning centres to provide children with formal education, academic tuition, and extracurricular activities. The centres’ teachers are trained in Ignatian pedagogy, peace-building, and reconciliation. JRS also provides women who have been forced to leave school with housing and vocational training. Young refugees are provided with leadership training and development support through youth clubs and organised activities. JRS also visits refugee families in the camps to address their immediate needs.

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Refugee Watch platform
5 B Mahanirban Road, Kolkata, 700 029, India
Tel: +91 33 46 40 079
Fax: 46 40 079
Email: ranabir@mcrg.ac.in  (Director)

The organisation is actively involved in working with refugees and IDPs. It brings out a quarterly on refugees and IDPs, organises workshops on refugees in east and northeast and has a regular publication programme.

Refugee Watch is a biannual, peer-reviewed and refereed journal of the Calcutta Research Group that offers a space for debate on refugees, forced migration, displacement, statelessness and related issues.

Address: OfERR, No.31, 2nd Floor, Sait  Colony, 1st Street, Egmore, Chennai, 600 008, Tamil Nadu, India
Tel: +91 44 28 19 30 63/ 0400
Email: oferrindia@gmail.com

OfERR is a refugee-led organisation of Ceylon Tamil refugees, by refugees and for refugees, committed to the principles of human development and sustainable livelihoods. OfERR’s mission is to improve and develop the life and wellbeing of refugees in India and to prepare them for their eventual return to the Island. Their key objective is to build the capacity of refugees, empowering them to make a significant contribution to their social and economic development and to rebuilding their homeland. OfERR mobilizes and networks with NGOs and inter-governmental agencies, and is a partner of UNHCR in Southern India where UNHCR is not allowed to operate. It works with governments to advocate for and to ensure the protection and the rights of refugees and returnees and is active in Tamil Nadu – particularly in the Sri Lankan refugee camps in Tamil Nadu. They assist the 70,000+ Sri Lankan refugees there and pursue options for the refugees to stay/repatriate with local authorities.

OfERR’s programmes include education and skills training for adults and children; health and nutrition services; counseling and social awareness; and the promotion of human rights – non-violent and democratic values that will empower them in the process of return and nation building. The Organisation for the Rehabilitation of Eelam Refugees is a member of the Asia Pacific Refugee Rights Network.

Address: C-569, New Friends Colony, New Delhi, 110 065, India
Tel: +91 11 68 22 525 or +91 11 68 41 884
Contact person: Rajeev Dhavan
Email: pilsarc@gmail.com

Legal aid and campaigns for legal protection of asylum seekers; advocacy for enactment of a humane law for refugees.

Address: Tiruchirapalli, 620 002, Tamilnadu, India
Tel: +91 43 17 31 321
Email: shepherd@sjctni.edu, dirextnsjc@yahoo.com
Contact person: M. Elias S.J

Training, awareness campaigns, rehabilitation and vocational education.

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Address: Post Box 12, TMSSS, 49K, Bharathiar Salai, Tiruchirapalli, 620 001,Tamilnadu, India
Tel: +91 43 14 10 026
Contact person: Fr. B. John Selvaraj
Email: tmsssm@gmail.com

Provides relief to Sri Lankan refugees and rehabilitate them by providing facilities for health care, drinking water, street lighting of the refugee camp, vocational training to the refugee youths, supply text and notebooks to the school going children.

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Address: P.O. Box No. 108, Catholic Bishop’s House, Palayamkottai, 627 002, Tirunelveli Dt. India
Tel: +91 04 62 25 78 282
Email: palaytsss@gmail.com
Email: tsss_india@rediffmail.com

 T.S.S.S works for the social advancement of a large number of vulnerable and downtrodden people in the society. It has diversified its activities and reaches out to cover a large number of poor people in order to create wider, deeper and sustainable impact on development of the poor and marginalized sections of the society. 

India LGBTQI+ Resources

Find organisations working for refugee LGBTQI+ rights in India.

India COI

Find India country of information (COI) experts, reports, commentaries, and relevant documents. 

We are always looking to expand the resources on our platform. If you know about relevant resources, or you are aware of organisations and/or individuals to include in our directories, please get in touch.

Last updated January 2023