Over 10,000 Indians imprisoned abroad, 25 on UAE death row

In a recent parliamentary session, India's Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kriti Vardhan Singh, revealed important statistics about Indians imprisoned abroad. Currently, over 10,000 Indians are in overseas jails. Among them, 25 individuals are sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Singh clarified that, despite their death sentences, none of these 25 Indians have been executed. This information was provided in response to questions about the treatment and legal status of Indian citizens in foreign countries. The minister stressed that the Indian government is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of its citizens living or working abroad. This includes providing legal aid and support to those facing legal challenges in foreign nations. In addition to the UAE, other countries with Indian nationals on death row include Saudi Arabia, which has 11 cases, and Malaysia, which has 6. Minor numbers are reported in Kuwait, Yemen, Indonesia, Qatar, and the United States. Singh noted that there have been instances of executions. In 2024, three Indians were executed in both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and one in Zimbabwe. Moreover, the minister mentioned that the UAE does not publicly report the number of executions, but it is believed that no Indian nationals were executed there from 2000 to 2024.