Migration refers to the movement of people from one geographical area to another with the intention of settling either temporarily or permanently in the new location. It may occur within national boundaries, known as internal migration, or across international borders, known as external migration. Migration can be voluntary, such as in search of better employment, education, or living conditions, or involuntary, arising from factors like conflict, natural disasters, environmental degradation, or development projects. In the context of tribal societies, migration often intersects with issues of livelihood, land alienation, cultural survival, and political marginalization. For tribal communities whose social, economic, and cultural life is deeply connected with land and forests, migration is not merely a change of residence but a transformation that affects their entire way of life. In India, tribal displacement has been a significant and continuing phenomenon, particularly since the colonial period and more intensively after independence due to large-scale development projects. Tribal communities, officially recognized as Scheduled Tribes, constitute a substantial portion of the population and are concentrated in forested, mineral-rich, and hilly regions. These areas have also been the sites of dams, mines, industries, wildlife sanctuaries, and infrastructure projects. As a result, tribals have been disproportionately affected by displacement. Historically, during the colonial era, the introduction of forest laws, land revenue systems, and commercial exploitation of forest resources disrupted traditional tribal economies. Many tribes practiced shifting cultivation, hunting-gathering, pastoralism, and small-scale settled agriculture. The declaration of forests as state property restricted their customary rights over land and forest produce. This led to gradual alienation from their resource base and forced many to migrate in search of wage labor in plantations, mines, and construction activities. After independence, the model of planned development emphasized rapid industrialization and infrastructure growth. Large dams such as Hirakud, Bhakra Nangal, and Sardar Sarovar, mining projects in Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh, steel plants in Rourkela and Bokaro, and thermal power projects in central India resulted in large-scale displacement. Studies have shown that although tribals form a minority in the national population, they constitute a disproportionately high percentage of those displaced by development projects. Often, displacement has been involuntary, with inadequate consultation and compensation. The economic consequences of tribal displacement are severe. Tribal economies