Lok Sabha Question No. 4984 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-01
Subject: Suicide by Indians in other Countries
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4984 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.04.2022

## SUICIDE BY INDIANS IN OTHER COUNTRIES

## 4984.    KUNWAR DANISH ALI:

Will the Minister of External Affairs be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has taken note of the cases of suicide by Indians in other countries since 2014;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has made efforts to ascertain the reasons behind these incidents of suicide among the Indians residing abroad;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps being taken by the Government to curb the cases of suicide by Indians in other countries?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [SHRI V. MURALEEDHARAN]

(a) & (b) As per the information available with the Ministry, there have been 4005 cases of suicide by Indians in other countries since 2014. Country-wise list is placed at Annexure - I.

(c) & (d) Most of the suicide   incidents   have   reportedly   occurred   on account of personal/family reasons.

(e) The Ministry of External Affairs and our Missions/Posts accord high priority to the welfare and well-being of Indian nationals especially of Indian workers who constitute a large proportion of expatriate Indians.

Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendra (PBSK) is a welfare initiative of Government of India to provide support to Indian expatriates in need. In order to prevent workers' deaths such as suicides, road accidents etc., awareness campaigns are conducted by the Missions/Posts through labour camps organised by PBSKs in collaboration with the Indian Missions/Posts. Indian officials work proactively to alleviate and resolve the difficulties being faced by Indians abroad. Indians abroad having any difficulty can approach Indian   Missions/Posts   in   getting   his/her   problems   addressed promptly.

Consular Officers posted in Indian Missions/Posts abroad are tasked with addressing the difficulties of distressed Indians. In Gulf countries where there are large numbers of Indian workers, our Missions and Posts have specialized Community Welfare Wings and Labour Wings. In addition, the Government operates an online portal called 'MADAD' for addressing the grievances of Indian nationals abroad. The MADAD Portal is regularly monitored in our Missions/Posts at various levels, thus giving high priority to grievances of Indian nationals.

Missions/Posts abroad have also taken initiatives like establishing 24x7 Helplines and Toll Free Helplines, holding Open House sessions to provide an additional informal platform to address the problems of Indian nationals, engaging with social organizations and individuals to reach out to   Indian   nationals,   promoting   practices   like   Yoga   for   healthy   living including for mental health and wellbeing, etc. Grievances brought to the notice   of   the   Ministry   and   the   Missions/Posts   through   social   media, including twitter, are also promptly addressed.

Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is a fund set up in all Indian Missions/Posts abroad to extend assistance to deserving Indians in times of   distress   and   emergency   on   a   meanstested   basis.   Whenever Mission/Post is informed about any Indian national in distress, all possible assistance   are   provided   to   them   including   shelter,   legal   assistance wherever necessary as well as issuance of travel documents/air tickets, etc.

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Annexure - I

## Lok Sabha FAQ 4984 - Suicide by Indians in other countries

|   S. No. | Country    |   Number of cases of sui- cide by Indians in other countries since 2014 |
|----------|------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Angola     |                                                                       2 |
|        2 | Argentina  |                                                                       2 |
|        3 | Armenia    |                                                                       2 |
|        4 | Australia  |                                                                      33 |
|        5 | Bahrain    |                                                                     180 |
|        6 | Bangladesh |                                                                       4 |
|        7 | Belarus    |                                                                       1 |
|        8 | Bhutan     |                                                                       4 |
|        9 | Brunei     |                                                                       2 |
|       10 | Cambodia   |                                                                       2 |
|       11 | Cameroon   |                                                                       1 |
|       12 | Canada     |                                                                      30 |
|       13 | China      |                                                                       2 |
|       14 | Columbia   |                                                                       1 |
|       15 | Cyprus     |                                                                       8 |
|       16 | Denmark    |                                                                       1 |
|       17 | Egypt      |                                                                       2 |
|       18 | Ethiopia   |                                                                       2 |
|       19 | Finland    |                                                                       2 |
|       20 | France     |                                                                       8 |
|       21 | Germany    |                                                                       9 |
|       22 | Ghana      |                                                                       4 |
|       23 | Guinea     |                                                                       1 |
|       24 | Indonesia  |                                                                       2 |
|       25 | Iraq       |                                                                       1 |
|       26 | Ireland    |                                                                       2 |
|       27 | Italy      |                                                                      65 |
|       28 | Japan      |                                                                       5 |
|       29 | Kuwait     |                                                                     425 |
|       30 | Lebanon    |                                                                       1 |
|       31 | Madagascar |                                                                       1 |
|       32 | Malaysia   |                                                                     254 |
|       33 | Maldives   |                                                                       5 |
|       34 | Mali       |                                                                       2 |
|       35 | Malta      |                                                                       2 |
|       36 | Mauritius  |                                                                       1 |
|       37 | Myanmar    |                                                                       1 |

| 38    | Netherlands          |    5 |
|-------|----------------------|------|
| 39    | Nigeria              |   12 |
| 40    | Norway               |    1 |
| 41    | Oman                 |  351 |
| 42    | Papua New Guinea     |    1 |
| 43    | Peru                 |    1 |
| 44    | Philippines          |   15 |
| 45    | Poland               |    5 |
| 46    | Portugal             |    1 |
| 47    | Qatar                |  165 |
| 48    | Romania              |    1 |
| 49    | Saudi Arabia         | 1024 |
| 50    | Seychelles           |    4 |
| 51    | Singapore            |  159 |
| 52    | South Korea          |    5 |
| 53    | South Sudan          |    1 |
| 54    | Spain                |    4 |
| 55    | Sri Lanka            |   11 |
| 56    | Sudan                |    3 |
| 57    | Sweden               |    3 |
| 58    | Tanzania             |    2 |
| 59    | Thailand             |    8 |
| 60    | Turkey               |    1 |
| 61    | United Arab Emirates | 1121 |
| 62    | United Kingdom       |    8 |
| 63    | Uganda               |    4 |
| 64    | USA                  |   19 |
| Total |                      | 4005 |

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