Return of the Indian Dream: Why Increasing Numbers of NRIs Are Choosing to Move Back Home?

A growing trend among Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) reveals many are choosing to leave stable jobs and green cards abroad to return to India’s evolving economic and social landscape. Abhijit Reddy and his wife, who spent 15 years near New York on work visas, decided to return to their hometown Hyderabad in 2023, motivated by concerns around visa uncertainties, ageing parents, and the desire to raise their children in their cultural roots. Both are software engineers who found seamless transitions thanks to multinational companies with Indian branches.

This reverse migration phenomenon is supported by recent data showing a 40% rise in NRIs returning to India in 2020-21 alone. Experts attribute the shift to several factors: growing economic opportunities — especially in tech hubs like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune — improved purchasing power parity making life affordable, and stronger family and cultural ties. Indian companies and global conglomerates expanding operations in India have eased job searches, offering roles even at senior leadership levels for returnees with global experience.

Visa challenges in countries like the US, Canada, and Europe further fuel the trend, with many young expatriates facing job instability and visa renewal hurdles. "Life stability abroad depends heavily on job security," says Ankit Patel, a Silicon Valley NRI planning his return to Mumbai. “In contrast, India’s booming global tech ecosystem provides options with better job satisfaction, quality of life, and proximity to family.” Although pay scales differ, many returnees find their saved foreign earnings combined with India’s lower living costs to be financially advantageous.

However, challenges persist. Some, like Sanskar Kadam, forced back by job losses abroad, highlight hardships including pay cuts and readjustments. Additionally, anecdotal evidence suggests no large-scale government-driven reverse migration scheme exists today akin to the invitations extended by Nehru’s government to eminent scientists in the 1950s. Most returnees relocate for personal reasons rather than direct policy incentives. Yet, growing multinational presence and initiatives such as global capability centres continue to make India a welcoming base for experienced professionals.

The return to India represents an evolving global Indian story — one balancing ambition, nostalgia, family, and economic pragmatism. With India’s economy and infrastructure maturing rapidly, many NRIs see in it the promise of a fulfilling life stage, where professional growth and cultural reconnect blend harmoniously.