**Executive Summary**
The document is a response from the Ministry of External Affairs to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding medical emergency assistance to Indian citizens abroad. The response outlines the assistance provided by Indian Missions/Posts, the resources available, and the mechanisms in place to support Indian nationals facing medical emergencies. It includes the number of beneficiaries of the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) for emergency medical care from 2022 to June 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Assistance Provided by Indian Missions/Posts:**
* Indian Missions/Posts extend all possible medical assistance to Indian citizens facing medical emergencies abroad.
* Multiple channels are available for Indian nationals to reach out to the Embassy/Consulate, including 24x7 helplines and Whatsapp numbers.
* Missions respond to emergency situations posted on social media.
* **Financial Assistance and Support:**
* The Embassy/Consulate provides assistance by paying expenses from the Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) or by requesting hospitals/authorities to waive medical bills for those without medical insurance or employer support.
* They connect Indian nationals with medical centers and community social workers.
* The Embassy/Consulate reaches out to hospitals, makes physical visits, takes updates on the condition and facilitates repatriation to India.
* **Medical Repatriation:**
* The Embassy/Consulate helps in medical repatriation (wheelchair, medical stretcher, air ambulance) and coordinates with the patient’s family, employer, hospital, airlines, and local authorities.
* Embassy arranges for repatriation expense via ICWF if the sponsor (in cases of illegal residency status) cannot bear the expense.
* The Embassy/Consulate proactively works to secure no objection or exit permits for Indian nationals facing illegal residency status or travel bans.
* **Grievance Redressal Mechanisms:**
* Various mechanisms are available for Indians abroad, including emigrant workers, to seek assistance or register grievances.
* These mechanisms include walk-in access, email, multilingual 24x7 emergency numbers, MADAD, CPGRAMS, eMigrate, social media, toll-free helplines, and mobile Apps.
* **Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) Services:**
* ICWF provides services/assistance to the Indian diaspora in distress, including:
* Transportation of mortal remains.
* Emergency medical care.
* Legal assistance.
* Boarding and lodging.
* Air passage for stranded Indians.
* **Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSK):**
* PBSKs have been set up in New Delhi and at Dubai, Riyadh & Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur to provide assistance, guidance, and counseling to Indians in distress.
* Consular camps and Open Houses are held to reach out to the Indian nationals abroad who might need any assistance/guidance from the Government.
* **ICWF Beneficiary Statistics:**
* Annexure A provides a breakdown of beneficiaries of emergency medical care from ICWF from 2022 to June 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Citizens Living, Working, or Traveling Abroad**
* **Impact:** Access to medical assistance and support in case of emergencies, including financial support, repatriation assistance, and coordination with relevant parties.
* **Action Required:** Be aware of the available resources and channels for seeking assistance from Indian Missions/Posts in case of medical emergencies. Utilize the provided helplines, portals, and mobile apps.
**Indian Missions and Posts Abroad**
* **Impact:** Responsible for providing medical assistance to Indian citizens abroad, coordinating with hospitals and local authorities, and utilizing the ICWF for financial support.
* **Action Required:** Maintain updated emergency contact information, ensure 24/7 helpline availability, and actively engage with social media requests for assistance.
**Ministry of External Affairs**
* **Impact:** Oversees the provision of medical assistance to Indian citizens abroad through Indian Missions/Posts and the ICWF.
* **Action Required:** Ensure adequate funding for the ICWF and continuous improvement of the grievance redressal mechanisms.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of External Affairs: The primary government entity responsible for providing assistance to Indian citizens facing medical emergencies abroad.
Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF): A fund used by Indian Missions/Posts to provide financial assistance to Indian citizens in distress, particularly during medical emergencies.
Indian Missions/Posts abroad: Indian embassies, high commissions, and consulates that provide direct support and assistance to Indian citizens during medical emergencies abroad.
Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSK): Centers established in specific locations to provide assistance, guidance, and counselling to Indians in distress.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 2181
ANSWERED ON- 12/12/2025
MEDICAL EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE TO INDIANS
2181. SHRI MALAIYARASAN D
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state :-
(a) whether the Government provides assistance to Indian citizens who
face medical emergencies while living, working or travelling abroad, if so,
the details of the policies, guidelines and standard operating procedures
governing such assistance;
(b) the mechanism through which Indian Missions and Posts extend support
in medical emergencies, including the availability of emergency helplines,
liaison with hospitals, facilitation of medical evacuation or repatriation and
informing family members, especially for individuals from Kallakurichi Lok
Sabha constituency;
1(c) the number of medical emergency cases handled by Indian Embassies,
High Commissions and Consulates during the last three years, country-wise
and year-wise;
(d) whether financial assistance is provided to Indians in distress during
serious medical emergencies, including from the Indian Community Welfare
Fund (ICWF), during the last three years, if so, the details of amount
disbursed; and
(e) the steps being taken to strengthen support systems for Indian migrant
workers?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a & b) Indian Missions/Posts abroad extend all possible medical assistance
to the Indian citizens who face medical emergencies abroad. The nature of
help extended includes:
i) Indian nationals in need of emergency assistance, including in case of
emergencies, have multiple channels for reaching out to the Indian
Embassy/Consulate anytime. The Embassy/Consulate operates 24X7
helplines and Whatsapp numbers. The Embassy/Consulate also promptly
2respond to emergency situations posted in social media tagging the
Missions’ social media handles.
ii) In situations where the Indian nationals are not having valid medical
insurance or support from the employer and they are not able to bear the
medical expenses on their own, the Embassy/Consulate provides
assistance either by paying for the expenses from the Indian Community
Welfare Fund (ICWF) or, wherever possible, requesting the hospital or
concerned local authorities to waive off the medical bills.
iii) Wherever possible, the Embassy/Consulate also connects the Indian
nationals in need of medical assistance with medical centres and other
community social workers who provide assistance on pro-bono basis.
iv) The Embassy/Consulate reaches out to the hospital, and also makes
physical visits depending upon the situation, to take updates on the
medical condition and feasibility of discharge or repatriation to India. The
Embassy/Consulate coordinates with the family members of the patient.
v) The Embassy/Consulate helps in medical repatriation, including in wheel
chair, medical stretcher and air ambulance, of Indian nationals by actively
coordinating with the patient’s family members, the foreign employer, the
hospital, the airlines, and the local authorities.
3vi) In case the cost of repatriation is not the responsibility of the sponsor
(in cases of illegal residency status) but the patient or the family is not
able to bear the expense, the Embassy arranges the repatriation expense
through ICWF.
vii) In case of Indian nationals in need of urgent medical repatriation but
facing illegal residency status or travel ban, the Embassy/Consulate
proactively works to secure no objection or exit permit from the local
government authorities.
(c & d) The requisite details of medical assistance provided from the Indian
Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) in the last three years by Indian Missions
abroad are given in Annexure-A.
(e) The Government has established various mechanisms to enable
Indians including emigrant workers abroad to reach out in case they need
any assistance or to register any grievances. They can contact the
Missions/Posts through various channels like walk-in, email, multilingual
24x7 emergency numbers, grievance redressal portals like MADAD,
CPGRAMS, eMigrate, social media, toll free helplines, whatsapp numbers
and Missions/Posts have also launched mobile Apps to enable Indian
4nationals to contact respective Indian Missions/Posts when in distress or in
emergency situation.
Our Missions/Posts abroad also utilize the Indian Community Welfare Fund
(ICWF) to provide the following services/assistance to the Indian diaspora
in distress on a means tested basis:
(i) Transportation of mortal remains to India or cremation with the consent
of the family;
(ii) Emergency medical care;
(iii) Legal assistance;
(iv) Boarding and lodging; and
(v) Air passage for stranded Indians
Furthermore, Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras (PBSK) have been set up
in New Delhi and at Dubai (UAE), Riyadh & Jeddah (Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) to provide assistance, guidance and
counselling to Indians in distress. Consular camps and Open Houses are
also held by Indian Missions/Posts to reach out to the Indian nationals
abroad who might need any assistance/guidance from the Government.
5Annexure A
Beneficiaries of Emergency Medical Care of Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) from
2022 to 2025(till June)
2025 (till
2022 2023 2024 June)
Sl. No. Country No. of No. of No. of No. of
Beneficiaries Beneficiaries Beneficiaries Beneficiaries
1 Afghanistan 0 0 0 0
2 Algeria 0 0 0 0
3 Angola 0 0 0 0
4 Argentina 0 0 0 0
5 Armenia 0 0 0 0
6 Australia 2 0 1 0
7 Austria 0 0 0 0
8 Azerbaijan 0 1 0 0
9 Bahrain 1 0 0 0
10 Bangladesh 3 0 0 0
11 Belarus 0 0 0 0
12 Belgium 0 0 0 0
13 Bhutan 0 0 0 0
14 Botswana 1 0 0 0
15 Brazil 0 0 0 0
16 Brunei darussalam 0 0 0 0
17 Bulgaria 0 0 0 0
18 Burkina Faso 0 0 0 0
19 Cambodia 0 0 1 3
20 Cameroon 0 0 0 0
21 Canada 0 1 0 0
22 Chile 0 0 0 0
23 China 1 1 1 0
24 Colombia 0 0 0 0
625 Cote d'Ivoire 0 0 0 0
26 Croatia 0 0 0 0
27 Cuba 0 0 0 0
28 Cyprus 0 0 0 0
29 Czech Republic 1 1 0 0
Democratic Republic
30 of the Congo 0 7 0 0
31 Denmark 0 0 0 0
32 Djibouti 0 0 0 0
33 Dominican Republic 0 0 0 0
34 Egypt 0 0 1 0
35 Equatorial Guinea 0 0 0 0
36 Eritrea 0 0 0 0
37 Estonia 0 0 0 0
38 Ethiopia 0 0 0 1
39 Fiji 0 0 0 0
40 Finland 0 0 0 0
41 France 1 0 1 0
42 Germany 0 0 0 0
43 Ghana 0 0 1 0
44 Greece 0 0 0 0
45 Guatemala 0 0 0 0
46 Guinea 0 0 0 0
47 Guyana 0 0 0 0
48 Hungary 0 0 0 0
49 Iceland 0 0 0 0
50 Indonesia 0 0 0 0
51 Iran 2 0 0 0
52 Iraq 2 0 0 0
53 Ireland 0 0 0 0
54 Israel 0 0 0 0
755 Italy 0 0 0 0
56 Jamaica 1 0 0 0
57 Japan 0 0 0 0
58 Jordan 1 0 0 1
59 Kazakhstan 0 0 0 0
60 Kenya 0 0 0 0
61 Kuwait 95 1 0 0
62 Kyrgystan 0 0 0 0
63 Laos 0 7 9 2
64 Lebanon 0 0 0 0
65 Liberia 0 0 0 0
66 Libya 0 0 0 0
67 Madagascar 0 0 0 0
68 Malawi 0 0 0 0
69 Malaysia 2 2 0 29
70 Maldives 0 1 0 0
71 Mali 0 0 0 0
72 Malta 0 0 0 0
73 Mauritius 0 0 0 0
74 Mexico 0 0 0 0
75 Mongolia 0 0 0 0
76 Morocco 0 0 0 0
77 Mozambique 0 0 0 0
78 Myanmar 0 1 0 0
79 Namibia 0 0 0 0
80 Nepal 0 2 16 0
81 Netherlands 0 0 0 0
82 New Zealand 1 0 0 0
83 Niger 0 0 0 0
84 Nigeria 0 0 2 0
85 North Korea 0 0 0 0
886 Norway 0 0 0 0
87 Oman 224 136 13 28
88 Pakistan 0 0 0 0
89 Palestine 0 0 0 0
90 Panama 0 0 0 0
91 Papua New Guinea 0 0 0 0
92 Paraguay 0 0 0 0
93 Peru 0 0 0 0
94 Philippines 0 1 0 0
95 Poland 2 0 0 0
96 Portugal 0 0 0 0
97 Qatar 0 0 3 1
98 Romania 0 0 0 0
99 Russia 0 0 0 0
100 Rwanda 1 4 0 0
101 Sao Tome & Principie 0 0 0 0
102 Saudi Arabia 85 74 20 4
103 Senegal 0 0 0 0
104 Serbia 0 0 0 0
105 Seychelles 0 0 0 0
106 Sierra leone 0 0 0 0
107 Singapore 0 0 0 0
108 Slovakia 0 0 0 0
109 Slovenia 0 0 0 0
110 South Africa 0 0 0 0
111 South Korea 2 0 0 0
112 South Sudan 2 0 0 1
113 Spain 9 0 0 0
114 Sri Lanka 24 4 4 6
115 Sudan 2 0 0 0
116 Suriname 0 0 0 0
9117 Swaziland 0 0 0 0
118 Sweden 0 0 0 0
119 Switzerland 0 0 0 0
120 Syria 1 0 0 0
121 Taiwan 0 0 1 0
122 Tajikistan 0 0 0 0
123 Tanzania 0 0 0 0
124 Thailand 0 1 0 0
125 Togo 0 0 0 0
126 Trinidad & Tobago 1 1 0 0
127 Tunisia 0 0 0 0
128 Turkey 0 0 0 0
129 Turkmenistan 0 0 0 0
130 UAE 19 37 32 1
131 Uganda 1 0 0 0
132 Ukraine 0 0 1 0
133 United Kingdom 0 0 0 0
United States of
134 America 1 0 0 0
135 Uzbekhistan 1 0 0 0
136 Venezuela 0 0 0 0
137 Vietnam 0 1 2 0
138 Yemen 0 0 0 0
139 Zambia 0 0 0 0
140 Zimbabwe 0 0 0 0
Total 489 284 109 77
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