Lok Sabha Question No. 810 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-11-29
Subject: Trafficking of Software Engineers to Overseas Countries
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Shri Shafi Parambil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 810 ANSWERED ON- 29/11/2024

## TRAFFICKING OF SOFTWARE ENGINEERS TO OVERSEAS COUNTRIES

## 810. SHRI SHAFI PARAMBIL

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-

(a)   whether   the   Government   is   aware   of   the   trafficking   of   software engineers to overseas countries where they are forced to engage in cyber crime and other fraudulent activities;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the initiatives taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to save these professionals from bonded labour and trafficking; and

(d) the details of the role of embassies in the process of supporting these professionals?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a & b) It has come to the notice of the Government instances of dubious firms involved in fake recruitment job offers have lured Indian nationals including software engineers mostly through social media channels to foreign countries particularly to South-East Asian countries  and made them to carry out cyber crime and other fraudulent activities from scam centres   operating   in   these   countries. The   exact   number   of   Indian nationals stuck in these countries is not known as Indian nationals reach these scam centres on their own volition through fraudulent/unscrupulous recruitment agents/agencies and through illegal channels. The Ministry of Home Affairs has set up the 'Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre' (I4C) as an attached office to deal with all types of cyber crime in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.

(c & d) Government accords utmost priority to the safety, security and well-being of  Indian nationals abroad. Government of India has raised this issue at political level with the host Government from time to time. Missions/Posts take up the issue of  rescue and repatriation of  Indian nationals actively with the local Ministry of  Foreign Affairs and other concerned Government agencies of the host country like Immigration, Labour Department, Home Affairs, Defence and Border Affairs and law enforcement agencies. With the concerted efforts of our Embassies in Cambodia,   Lao   PDR   and   Myanmar,   the   number   of   Indian   nationals

including software engineers rescued till date is mentioned in the table below:

| Country   |   No. of Indian National rescued |
|-----------|----------------------------------|
| Cambodia  |                             1091 |
| Lao PDR   |                              770 |
| Myanmar   |                              497 |

The  Government   has   established   various   channels   to   enable   Indian nationals abroad to reach out to the Mission/Post in case they need any assistance.   They   can   contact   the   Missions/Posts   through   walk-in interview,   email,   multilingual   24x7   emergency   numbers,   grievance redressal portal like MADAD, CPGAMS, and eMigrate, and social media etc.

Ministry issues advisories and social media posts about the fake job rackets from time to time. Similar communications are also issued by the respective Indian Missions/Posts abroad through their official websites, social media handles and print media. Our Missions in South-East Asian countries issued detailed advisories to alert prospective job seekers, and advise them to verify all antecedents of recruiting agents and companies before accepting any kind of employment offer and not be enticed and entrapped in the fraudulent job offers in these countries.

Ministry,   in   coordination   with   the   Indian   Missions/Posts   abroad   and offices of Protectors of Emigrants in India, take prompt action whenever instances of exploitation of job seekers by illegal agents come to notice. A list of 3,094 unregistered agents (till October 2024) has been notified on e-Migrate portal. This information is regularly updated based on the complaints filed by the aggrieved individuals and based on the inputs received   from   our   Missions/Posts   abroad.   The   complaint   against   the illegal   agents   and   the   dubious   firms   luring   Indian   youth   in   false recruitment offers through various channels are regularly shared with the respective State Governments and other agencies such as I4C, MHA for suitable action. To spread awareness on cyber crime, the Government has   taken   steps   which   inter-alia   include,   dissemination   of   relevant information through SMS, I4C social media account, radio campaigns, engaged   MyGov   for   publicity   in   multiple   channels,   organizing   cyber safety and security awareness weeks in association with States/UTs, newspaper advertisement on digital arrest scams, announcements in Delhi Metros on digital arrest and other modus operandi of cyber crimes. *****

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