LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3584
ANSWERED ON 13/03/2026
WELFARE OF INDIAN CITIZENS ABROAD
3584. ADV K. FRANCIS GEORGE
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has taken cognisance of incidents relating to racial discrimination, violence, labour exploitation and mental health challenges faced by Indian citizens abroad;
(b) if so, the details of support services including helplines, legal aid, counselling and emergency response mechanisms provided by Indian Missions;
(c) whether any bilateral or multilateral arrangements exist for safeguarding rights and welfare of Indian nationals overseas and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the steps taken to implement pre-departure orientation programmes and strengthen diaspora outreach mechanisms; and
(e) the measures proposed to improve grievance redressal systems and coordination between the Government and host countries for protection of Indian nationals abroad?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA)
(a) & (b) The Government remains alert for incidents relating to racial discrimination, violence, labour exploitation and mental health challenges faced by Indian citizens abroad. Indian Missions/Posts abroad render all possible consular assistance to Indian nationals, whenever required. Indian nationals can contact the Indian Missions/Posts abroad via walk-ins, email, social media platforms, 24x7 emergency telephone numbers and Toll Free Helplines established by Missions/Posts abroad, grievance redressal portals like MADAD, CPGRAMS etc for redressal of their grievances. Indian nationals who are in distress in foreign countries are provided assistance under Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) set up in all Indian Missions/Posts abroad to meet any contingency expenditure incurred by them, on a means-tested basis. Advisories are issued for Indian nationals from time to time, asking them to exercise due caution and remain vigilant. The Government remains vigilant to developments impacting the lives of Indian nationals abroad and takes all measures to safeguard their interests and welfare. Apart from extending all possible consular assistance to Indian nationals, Indian Missions/Posts also assist in providing legal aid wherever needed. Missions/Posts also maintain a local panel of lawyers where Indian community is in sizeable numbers.
(c) The Government has established a robust institutional framework to promote safe and legal migration while ensuring welfare and safety and preventing exploitation of Indian nationals abroad. MoUs/Agreements such as Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreements (MMPAs), Labour Mobility and Labour Welfare Agreements signed with the partner countries seek to establish robust frameworks for migrant workers welfare and protection and legal migration and for preventing irregular migration. The Labor and Manpower Cooperation MOUs/Agreements that provide the overarching framework for cooperation on labour and manpower related issues have been signed with the Gulf Cooperation Council countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates) and Jordan. Further, to safeguard the specific interests of domestic workers in GCC Countries, agreements on Labor Cooperation for Domestic Sector Workers (DSWs) have been signed with Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait. Specific Labour Mobility Partnership Agreement/MOU/MOC have been signed with Denmark, Japan, Portugal, Mauritius, Israel, Malaysia and Russia. Migration and Mobility Partnership agreements to facilitate mobility of our students, academics, business people, and professionals, have been signed with France, UK, Germany, Australia, Austria, Italy and Denmark.
(d) Pre-Departure Orientation Training (PDOT) programme is aimed at enhancing soft skills of Indian migrant workers, in terms of culture, language, tradition and local rules and regulations of the destination country. One-day long PDOT training also sensitizes migrant workers about pathways to safe and legal migration and various government programmes for their welfare and protection.PDOT curriculum content has been standardized all over the country. Comprehensive PDOT Manuals for Master Trainers have been developed in seven languages i.e. Hindi, English, Bangla, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil and Telugu. The Ministry launched online PDOT in April 2021 to reach out to prospective emigrants who live far away from PDOT centres.
(e) Indian Missions/Posts remain vigilant and closely monitor any untoward incidents affecting Indian nationals abroad. Such incidents are immediately taken up with the concerned authorities of the host country to ensure that the cases are properly investigated and the perpetrators are punished as per their domestic laws. These issues are also raised at the political and official level with the countries concerned during bilateral engagements and through institutional dialogue mechanisms, including at the highest levels as appropriate.
*****