Bhubaneswar:Here is a significant trend to the fore.
The population of foreign nationals in Indian jails are lower when compared to Indians in foreign jails.
As per the data with Union Government, a total of 10,152 Indians have been serving jail terms in as many as 86 foreign countries, including the EU nations like France Germany et al.
The data regarding foreigners serving jail terms in Indian prisons stood at around 6, 370 in year 2022, as per the NCRB data. Highly placed sources have informed that the foreign nationals languishing in Indian jails as undertrials or convicts now stand at around 8.133K. And the foreigners in Indian jails belong to as many as 25-30 countries only.
The above comparison shows more Indians serving jail terms abroad then foreigners serving jail terms here.
The large count of Indian prisoners has been attributed to a whopping over 18.5mn people of Indian origin living abroad, and their spread in as many as 210 countries.
INDIAN MIGRANTS TOP DESTINATION
According to the data available with UN Dept of Economic and Social Affairs, 50% of the 18.5mn Indian migrants live in West Asia. The Gulf Cooperation Council countries like Baharin, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and UAE hosts nearly half of the Indian migrants.
After GCC, nearly 20% of Indian migrants live in North American countries like US and Canada, and around 5-7% in countries Australia and New Zealand.
INDIANS IN PRISONS BY COUNTRIES
The MEA data released recently revealed that a whopping 64% of Indian prisoners are in the prisons of 6 GCC countries. In absolute number, the count stands at 6,478.
A glance at the data available country-wise shows that Saudi Arabia leads the chart with a high of 2,633 Indian prisoners, and is followed by UAE (2518) and Nepal (1317).
Among the other GCC countries, after SA and UAE, Qatar prisons have as many as 611 Indians, Kuwait – 387, Oman – 148 and Baharin – 181.
A look at the big countries with Indian prisoners reveals the following.
- Malaysia – 338
- Pakistan - 266
- UK – 288
- China - 173
- USA – 169
- Italy – 168
- Singapore – 92
WHY SOM MANY ARRESTED?
According to MEA, the Indian nationals have been arrested in foreign countries for violation/ alleged violation of local laws.
WILL THEY EVER BE FREED?
The chances seem dim if one goes by the MEA statement. The MEA statement reads as:
“Due to strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries, the local authorities do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure of such information. Even countries which share information do not generally provide detailed information about the foreign nationals imprisoned.”
In such a scenario, Indian Government’s involvement stands limited.
DO INDIAN EMBASSIES SIT FINGER CROSSED?
Despite the limitations, Indian Embassies in the foreign countries continuously monitor the arrest of Indian nationals.
The MEA says the following.
- Post receiveing info on arrest of any Indian national, embassies gets in touch with the local Foreign Office/concerned local authorities to get consular access to the detained/arrested Indian national to ascertain the facts of the case.
- Also to confirm his/her Indian nationality
- Ensure his/her welfare.
- Approach the law enforcement agencies to complete the investigation and judicial proceedings at the earliest possible.
- The Government also follows up this issue during consular and other consultations with other countries
- Above all, India has also entered into prisoner transfer treaties with many nations that allow a person convicted of a crime to be transferred to his/her home country to serve the prison sentence
- India has signed Agreement on Transfer of Sentenced Persons (TSP) with 31 countries.
- Under the provisions of TSP, Indian prisoners lodged in foreign countries can be transferred to India to serve the remainder of their sentence and vice-versa.
- The 31 countries are listed below.
- Australia
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Brazil
- Bulgaria
- Cambodia
- Egypt
- Estonia
- France
- Hong Kong
- Iran
- Israel
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Korea
- Kuwait
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Mongolia
- Qatar
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Somalia
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Thailand
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates (UAE)
- United Kingdom
- Vietnam.
FOREIGN PRISONERS IN INDIAN JAILS
A glance at the available date with MHA, following foreign countries prisoners are languishing in the Indian jails.
- Bangladesh at the top with – 2,159
- Nepal - 669
- Nigeria – 709
- Myanmar - 235
A look at major countries reveals the following.
- China – 20
- USA – 0
- Japan – 1
- Australia – 5
- UK - 0
