7,000 Indians are jailed abroad: MEA data

New Delhi: The government informed Parliament on Wednesday that over 7,000 Indians are currently lodged in jails abroad in foreign countries. The government said 7,737 Indians have been jailed abroad. The government also informed Parliament that approximately 8,000 Indians have entered Germany illegally and sought asylum there.

Of the Indians jailed abroad, 647 are in the US, 1690 in the UAE, 1575 in Saudi Arabia, 471 in Pakistan and 548 in Nepal.

The MEA also informed Parliament, “As per information available in the ministry ... approximately 8363 Indian nationals who are illegal and have sought asylum in foreign countries (approx. 8000 in Germany but not in jail, 359 in USA in detention, 2 in Denmark in jail, 2 in Brazil in jail and 1 in Finland but not in jail).”

The MEA added, “The government of India believes that asylum seekers, while applying for asylum to a foreign government, denigrate the system in India to obtain personal gains despite the fact that India, being a democratic country, provides avenues for everyone to redress their grievances lawfully.”