Thousands of Rohingya refugees in India face economic hardship and legal uncertainty due to a lack of formal refugee recognition, hindering their access to employment, financial services, and basic protections. The situation underscores a broader regional failure to address the ongoing displacement of the Rohingya people, who fled systematic persecution in Myanmar.
Structural Barriers to Work and Livelihoods
India hosts approximately 40,000 Rohingya refugees who escaped violence and persecution in Myanmar, with many residing in informal settlements near major cities like New Delhi, Hyderabad, and Jammu. These refugees largely rely on precarious informal labor for survival.
Rohingya families report that the absence of government-issued identity documents effectively prevents them from participating in India’s formal economy. Sohail Khan, a 33-year-old Rohingya refugee in New Delhi, studied psychology but now runs a handicraft stall after repeatedly being unable to secure stable employment due to lacking identification.
India does not have a national refugee law and is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. Consequently, Rohingya refugees primarily depend on identification cards issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), which often have limited recognition within India’s employment and financial systems.
Amina Khatoon, a Rohingya mother of three who has lived in India for over a decade, stated that employers frequently request national identification numbers like Aadhaar before offering work, making stable employment nearly impossible without such documentation.
Informal Labor and Exploitation Risks
Without formal work opportunities, many Rohingya refugees are forced into the informal economy, taking on daily wage labor in construction, scrap collection, and street vending. Abdullah, a Rohingya resident of Delhi, reports being hired for only a few days of casual work each month, leaving his family reliant on unpredictable income from multiple jobs.
Researchers and humanitarian workers warn that this exclusion exposes Rohingya refugees to significant risks of labor exploitation. Mohd Zubair, a Rohingya laborer, described instances where employers refused to pay wages upon discovering his lack of official documentation.
The inability to obtain government-recognized identity documents also prevents most Rohingya refugees from opening bank accounts or using digital payment platforms, forcing them to rely on cash-based transactions and limiting their ability to save money, access credit, or build economic stability.
Fear of Detention and Deportation
Beyond economic hardship, Rohingya refugees in India live with the constant fear of detention or deportation. Human rights organizations have documented cases of Rohingya individuals being detained by Indian authorities despite possessing UNHCR-issued refugee identification cards.
Advocates argue that the lack of legal clarity surrounding refugee protections contributes to an environment of constant insecurity, discouraging refugees from investing in small businesses, education, or long-term livelihoods and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
A Regional Crisis Without Durable Solutions
Experts say the situation highlights a broader regional policy vacuum surrounding the Rohingya crisis. Since the mass displacement triggered by the 2017 Rohingya Exodus, over one million Rohingya refugees remain scattered across South and Southeast Asia, primarily in Bangladesh, but also in countries including India, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Despite repeated international calls for accountability, Myanmar’s military authorities have not yet created conditions for the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Rohingya refugees. Human rights groups argue that host countries, regional organizations, and the international community must develop more comprehensive protection frameworks for Rohingya refugees, including legal status, access to livelihoods, and protection from arbitrary detention.
Without such measures, advocates warn, stateless Rohingya communities will continue to face systemic marginalization across the region, deepening one of Asia’s most enduring humanitarian and human rights crises.
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