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Immigration to IndiaThere are 4.9 million foreign-born residents in India, accounting for 0.4% of the population.[1] 98% of immigrants to India came from a previous residence elsewhere in Asia.[2] HistoryAncient eraIndia has a long history of accepting refugees. Its Jewish community dates back to the fall of Jerusalem in the first century AD, and its Zoroastrianism-adhering Parsis immigrated to escape the 7th-century Muslim conquest of Persia.[3] Medieval eraPersians, Turks, and Central Asians migrated to India during the Indo-Muslim period. They participated in the imperial bureaucracy, brought Muslim influences such as Sufism, and helped to form the Indo-Persian culture.[4][5] Colonial era The British colonial presence in India varied in characteristics over time; British people generally stayed in the colony on a temporary basis, and were sometimes aiming to avoid local cultural habits and contact.[7] Children would often grow up in India, be sent to Britain to receive a "proper" education,[8] and then return to India as adults.[9] With the mortality rate for foreigners being high at the time due to disease, playing British sports was one way that the British could maintain their health and spirits; in the words of a contemporary writer, it was best for Englishmen to "defend themselves from the magic of the land by sports, games, clubs."[10] Contemporary eraThe modern dynamics of migration to India are often specific to India's neighbourhood;[11] for example, 97% of immigrants from Bangladesh live in the Bangladesh-bordering regions of India (East India and Northeast India).[12] Medical tourism has also been a factor in some migration decisions.[11] Return migration of the Indian diaspora is another factor; for example, because of the COVID-19 pandemic's economic disruption, some Indian labour migrants in the Arab Gulf countries were forced to come to India, generally via the Vande Bharat Mission.[13] Illegal immigrationAn illegal immigrant in India is a foreigner who has entered India either without valid documents or who initially had a valid document, but has overstayed beyond the permitted time, as per the general provisions of the Citizenship Act as amended in 2003. Such persons are not eligible for citizenship by registration or naturalisation.[14] They are also liable to be imprisoned for 2–8 years and fined.[15] An exception was made in 2015 for minority communities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who were compelled to seek shelter in India due to religious persecution or fear of religious persecution. They are not classified as illegal migrants and remain eligible for citizenship.[16][17] The Indian Census of 2001 gives information about migrants, but not exclusively illegal immigrants. As per the 2001 Census, Bangladeshis form the largest group of migrants in India, followed by Pakistanis.[18]See alsoReferences
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