A total of 10,574 Indian citizens are currently imprisoned in jails across the world, including 43 who are on death row, the Indian Parliament was informed on Friday, July 25. The figures were shared in a written reply by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in the Lok Sabha.
Among the countries, the United Arab Emirates has the highest number of Indian prisoners, with 2,773 citizens behind bars. This is followed by Saudi Arabia with 2,379 and Nepal with 1,357.
Other countries with a significant number of Indian nationals in prison include Qatar with 795, Malaysia with 380, Kuwait with 342, the United Kingdom with 323, Bahrain with 261, Pakistan with 246, and China with 183.
ALSO READ: Indian national sentenced in Singapore for causing death of fellow countryman
At the same time, several countries have only one Indian prisoner each. These include Angola, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Iraq, Jamaica, Mauritius, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Tajikistan, and Yemen.
Out of the total 10,574 prisoners, 43 Indian nationals are currently facing the death penalty in different countries. The highest number is in the United Arab Emirates with 21 people on death row. This is followed by Saudi Arabia with 7, China with 4, Indonesia with 3, and Kuwait with 2. One Indian citizen each is facing the death penalty in the United States, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, and Yemen.
The Ministry of External Affairs clarified that because of privacy laws in many countries, complete details about foreign prisoners are often not available unless the individuals give permission.
The government stated that Indian embassies and consulates abroad regularly monitor these cases and provide full legal and consular support to the prisoners.
Efforts to secure legal aid, consular access, and, where possible, early release or repatriation are carried out through diplomatic discussions and legal processes. The Indian Community Welfare Fund is also used to help with legal expenses and return costs for deserving individuals.
The government also informed that talks are ongoing with Sri Lanka regarding the release of 28 Indian fishermen, including 27 from Tamil Nadu and one from Puducherry, who are currently in custody there.
