Lok Sabha Question No. 4730 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-20
Subject: Detention of Indian Seafarers by Foreign Authorities
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Ms Sayani Ghosh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4730

ANSWERED ON - 20/03/2026

## DETENTION OF INDIAN SEAFARERS BY FOREIGN AUTHORITIES

4730.  MS SAYANI GHOSH

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained by foreign countries since 2014, country-wise and year-wise;

(b)   the   current   status   of   such   cases,   indicating   the   number   of seafarers released, repatriated or remain in detention, country-wise;

(c)   the   nature   of   charges   or   reasons   for   detention   in   such   cases, category-wise;

(d)   the   steps   taken   by   the   Government,   including   through   Indian Missions   abroad,   for   legal   assistance,   consular   access,   medical support and welfare of detained seafarers;

(e) whether any special financial, legal or diplomatic assistance has been provided to affected seafarers and their families, if so, the details thereof;

(f)   whether the Government has taken up such cases bilaterally or through international maritime bodies to secure early release, if so, the details thereof; and

(g) the steps taken or proposed to be taken to strengthen protection mechanisms,   legal   awareness   and   emergency   support   for   Indian seafarers working overseas?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (c) As per the information available with the Ministry, the details of Indian seafarers arrested or detained by foreign countries is placed at Annexure A, Indian seafarers released or repatriated is placed at Annexure B and  Indian seafarers who are currently in detention in foreign countries is placed at Annexure C.

The reasons for detention of Indian seafarers include illegal entry into foreign waters, possession of ammunition, liquor smuggling, diesel smuggling, drug trafficking, money laundering etc.

(d) to (g) The Government attaches high priority to the safety, security and welfare of Indian seafarers. As soon as information about the detention   of   Indian   seafarers   is   received,   our   Missions/Posts   in respective countries coordinate with local authorities to ascertain the well-being of Indian seafarers and provide requisite help and support, including   consular   assistance   and   medical   support.   Financial assistance, if necessary, is provided through the Indian Community Welfare   Fund   (ICWF).   Apart   from   extending   all   possible   consular assistance,   our   Missions/Posts   also   assist   in   providing   legal   aid wherever   needed.   On   the   release   of   the   seafarers,   Indian Missions/Posts abroad provide them with necessary travel documents to facilitate their repatriation to India.

The Government has been taking up the issues of arrest of Indian seafarers by foreign countries with respective governments through diplomatic   channels,   various   official   interactions   and   established bilateral mechanisms. The matter of early release and repatriation of

Indian seafarers is consistently raised with respective countries at all levels and it is conveyed that the issue may be considered purely on humanitarian   and   livelihood   grounds   with   an   aim   to   expedite   the resolution of the cases.

## Annexure A

| Sr. No.             | Country Name   | The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise   | The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise   |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise |   The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise | The number of Indian seafarers arrested or detained since 2014, year-wise   | The total number of Indian Seafarers arrested or detained from 2014 to 2025   |
|---------------------|----------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sr. No.             | Country Name   | 2014                                                                        | 2015                                                                        |                                                                        2016 |                                                                        2017 |                                                                        2018 |                                                                        2019 |                                                                        2020 |                                                                        2021 |                                                                        2022 |                                                                        2023 | 2024 2025                                                                   | The total number of Indian Seafarers arrested or detained from 2014 to 2025   |
| 1                   | Albania        | 0 0                                                                         | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           1 | 0                                                                           | 1                                                                             |
| 2                   | Bangladesh     | 0                                                                           | 0 0                                                                         |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           1 |                                                                           0 | 15                                                                          | 16                                                                            |
| 3                   | China 0        | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           1 |                                                                           5 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           1 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 1                                                                           | 8                                                                             |
| 4 Cote              | d'Ivoire 0     | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           2 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 0                                                                           | 2                                                                             |
| 5                   | Djibouti 0     | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                          10 | 12                                                                          | 22                                                                            |
| 6 Egypt             | 0              | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           3 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 0                                                                           | 3                                                                             |
| 7 Equatorial Guinea | 0              | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                          16 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 0                                                                           | 16                                                                            |
| 8 Finland           | 0              | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                             |
| 9 Germany           | 0              | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           1 | 0                                                                           | 1                                                                             |
| 10 Greece           | 10             | 2                                                                           | 9                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           6 | 0                                                                           | 27                                                                            |
| 11 Iran             | 0              | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                          16 |                                                                          21 |                                                                           7 |                                                                          17 |                                                                          81 |                                                                          70 | 57                                                                          | 269                                                                           |
| 12 Italy            | 0              | 0                                                                           | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           3 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 1                                                                           | 4                                                                             |
| 13                  | Kenya          | 0 0                                                                         | 0                                                                           |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           8 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 |                                                                           0 | 0                                                                           | 8                                                                             |

| 14                 | Lebanon   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 0 |   1 |
|--------------------|-----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-------|-----|
| 15 Libya           | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   5 |     0 |   5 |
| 16 Malaysia        | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |    34 |  34 |
| 17 Maldives        | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     7 |   7 |
| 18 Mauritius       | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   2 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     0 |   2 |
| 19 Nigeria         | 11        |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  16 |   0 |   0 |     0 |  27 |
| 20 Portugal        | 0         |   0 |   0 |   3 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     0 |   3 |
| 21 Qatar           | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     2 |   2 |
| 22 Saudi           | Arabia 0  |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 |    24 |  25 |
| 23 Senegal         | 5         |   0 |  13 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   4 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     0 |  22 |
| 24 South Africa    | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  11 |  10 |   2 |     0 |  23 |
| 25 Sri Lanka       | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   5 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     0 |   5 |
| 26 Trinidad Tobago | & 0       |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  17 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     0 |  17 |
| 27 Turkiye         | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   4 |   0 |     1 |   5 |
| 28 Ukraine         | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |     5 |   5 |
| 29 United Kingdom  | 0         |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 |     1 |   2 |

|   30 | Vietnam   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   2 |   0 |   2 |
|------|-----------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|   31 | Yemen     |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   6 |   6 |

## Annexure B

| Sr.   |                   |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise |   The total number of Indian seafarers released or repatriated since 2014, year-wise | The total number of Indian seafarers who have been released or repatriated from 2014 to 2025   |
|-------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| No.   |                   |                                                                                 2014 |                                                                                 2015 |                                                                                 2016 |                                                                                 2017 |                                                                                 2018 |                                                                                 2019 |                                                                                 2020 |                                                                                 2021 |                                                                                 2022 |                                                                                 2023 |                                                                                 2024 |                                                                                 2025 | The total number of Indian seafarers who have been released or repatriated from 2014 to 2025   |
| 1     | Albania           |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    0 | 1                                                                                              |
| 2     | Bangladesh        |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                   15 | 16                                                                                             |
| 3     | China             |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    4 |                                                                                    1 | 7                                                                                              |
| 4     | Cote d'Ivoire     |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 | 1                                                                                              |
| 5     | Djibouti          |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    5 | 5                                                                                              |
| 6     | Egypt             |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 | 2                                                                                              |
| 7     | Equatorial Guinea |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                   16 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 | 16                                                                                             |
| 8     | Finland           |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                   21 | 21                                                                                             |
| 9     | Germany           |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    1 |                                                                                    0 | 1                                                                                              |
| 10    | Greece            |                                                                                   10 |                                                                                    2 |                                                                                    9 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    6 |                                                                                    0 | 27                                                                                             |
| 11    | Iran              |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    9 |                                                                                    5 |                                                                                   18 |                                                                                   14 |                                                                                   57 |                                                                                   95 |                                                                                   30 | 228                                                                                            |
| 12    | Italy             |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    0 |                                                                                    2 | 2                                                                                              |

|   13 | Kenya             |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   8 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   8 |
|------|-------------------|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
|   14 | Lebanon           |   0 | 0 0 |     |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |   1 |
|   15 | Libya             |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   5 |   0 |   5 |
|   16 | Malaysia          |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  34 |  34 |
|   17 | Maldives          |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   7 |   7 |
|   18 | Nigeria           |   0 | 0   | 11  |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  16 |   0 |   0 |  27 |
|   19 | Portugal          |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   3 |   0 |   0 |   3 |
|   20 | Qatar             |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   2 |   2 |
|   21 | Saudi Arabia      |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  25 |  25 |
|   22 | Senegal           |   0 | 5   | 0   |  13 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  18 |
|   23 | South Africa      |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |  11 |  10 |   2 |   0 |  23 |
|   24 | Sri Lanka         |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   3 |  13 |   3 |   5 |   0 |   0 |  24 |
|   25 | Trinidad & Tobago |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |  15 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   1 |   0 |  16 |
|   26 | Turkiye           |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   5 |   5 |
|   27 | Ukraine           |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   5 |   5 |
|   28 | Yemen             |   0 | 0   | 0   |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   0 |   6 |   6 |

## Annexure C

|   Sr. No. | Country Name      |   The total number of Indian seafarers who are currently in detention |
|-----------|-------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Australia         |                                                                     1 |
|         2 | China             |                                                                     2 |
|         3 | Cote d'Ivoire     |                                                                     1 |
|         4 | Djibouti          |                                                                    17 |
|         5 | Egypt             |                                                                     1 |
|         6 | Iran              |                                                                    18 |
|         7 | Italy             |                                                                     2 |
|         8 | Mauritius         |                                                                     2 |
|         9 | Nigeria           |                                                                    22 |
|        10 | Senegal           |                                                                     4 |
|        11 | Trinidad & Tobago |                                                                     1 |
|        12 | United Kingdom    |                                                                     2 |

*****