Over 20 Indian workers die abroad daily in last 5 yrs: Govt data
text_fields
New Delhi: Over 20 Indian workers have died on foreign soil every day over the past five years, with the majority of fatalities occurring in Gulf nations, according to government data.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on January 29, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh stated that a total of 37,740 Indian workers died abroad between 2021 and 2025. A detailed breakdown of causes of death was not provided.
The highest number of deaths was reported in 2021, with 8,234 fatalities, followed by 6,614 in 2022. Casualties rose steadily thereafter, reaching 7,291 in 2023, 7,747 in 2024, and 7,854 in 2025.
Gulf countries accounted for over 86 per cent of these deaths. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia recorded the highest tolls, with 12,380 and 11,757 deaths respectively, over the five-year period. They were followed by Kuwait (3,890), Oman (2,821), Malaysia (1,915), and Qatar (1,760).
During the same period, Indian missions abroad received 80,985 complaints of abuse, exploitation, and workplace grievances from Indian nationals. UAE led the complaints with 16,965, followed by Kuwait (15,234), Oman (13,295), and Saudi Arabia (12,988).
Earlier analyses by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), based on Right to Information (RTI) responses and Parliamentary records, revealed that nearly 10 Indian workers died daily in the Gulf region between 2012 and mid-2018. Between 2021 and 2025, 32,608 Indian workers died in Gulf nations (excluding Bahrain), averaging nearly 18 deaths per day.
Outside the Gulf, countries such as Malaysia and the Maldives reported significant labour grievances, registering 8,333 and 2,981 complaints respectively. Southeast Asian nations recorded rising complaints despite relatively low fatalities. Myanmar reported zero deaths but 2,548 complaints, including 1,863 in 2025 alone. Cambodia recorded 31 deaths against 2,531 complaints, while Laos reported 11 deaths and 2,416 complaints.
Labour issues surged over the five years, peaking at 22,479 complaints in 2025, up from 16,263 in 2024 and nearly double the 11,632 complaints in 2021.
The ministry noted that the most common difficulties faced by Indian workers abroad include delayed or non-payment of salaries and end-of-service benefits, unauthorised retention of passports, denial of leave, long working hours without overtime, and sudden unemployment due to company closures. Other issues reported include ill-treatment, denial of labour rights, and refusal to grant exit visas.
On measures taken, Singh said that the safety and well-being of Indian nationals abroad remain a top priority. Indian missions immediately coordinate with local foreign affairs ministries, labour departments, and law enforcement agencies when an Indian worker is in distress. In addition to consular assistance and legal aid, the Government of India has signed MoUs on labour and manpower cooperation with several host countries to safeguard Indian workers’ interests.
With PTI inputs