Executive Summary:
This document presents the Ministry of External Affairs' response to a parliamentary question regarding Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy. It provides data on the number of Indian prisoners in foreign jails, details arrests and releases of Tamil Nadu fishermen and their boats by Sri Lanka over the past three years, and outlines actions taken to address the situation, including diplomatic efforts and consular assistance. The data is current as of 15 July 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Indian Prisoners in Foreign Jails:**
* As of the provided date, there are 10,574 Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign jails.
* A country-wise list is provided in Annexure A.
* Many countries' privacy laws restrict the sharing of prisoner information without consent.
* **Arrests and Confiscations by Sri Lankan Navy (2022-2024):**
* 2024: 526 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested, 72 boats confiscated.
* 2023: 220 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested, 33 boats confiscated.
* 2022: 229 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested, 31 boats confiscated.
* **Releases by Sri Lanka (2022-2024):**
* 2024: 538 Indian fishermen released, 2 boats released.
* 2023: 240 Indian fishermen released, 14 boats released.
* 2022: 268 Indian fishermen released, 1 boat released.
* **Current Status and Government Action:**
* As of 15 July 2025, 28 Indian fishermen are in Sri Lankan custody (27 from Tamil Nadu, 1 from Puducherry).
* The Indian government prioritizes the safety and welfare of Indian fishermen.
* The government is consistently raising the issue of early release and repatriation through diplomatic channels, including meetings between the Prime Minister and the Sri Lankan President (meeting on 05 April 2025).
* The issue is being addressed on humanitarian and livelihood grounds.
* **Bilateral Mechanisms:**
* Issues are addressed through bilateral institutional mechanisms, such as the Joint Working Group on fisheries (last meeting on 29 October 2024).
* Indian Consular officials regularly visit jails to support Indian fishermen and provide legal assistance.
Impact Analysis:
* **Tamil Nadu Fishermen:**
* *Impact:* Risk of arrest and boat confiscation by the Sri Lankan Navy, potential for prolonged detention in Sri Lankan jails.
* *Action Required:* Adhere to maritime boundaries to avoid arrest, cooperate with consular officials if detained.
* **Government of India:**
* *Impact:* Required to address the arrest and detention of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka, manage diplomatic relations with Sri Lanka.
* *Action Required:* Continue diplomatic efforts for the release and repatriation of fishermen and boats, provide consular assistance to detained fishermen, and participate in bilateral mechanisms like the Joint Working Group on fisheries.
Key Entities Referenced
Tamil Nadu: A state in India, specifically mentioned in relation to the arrested fishermen.
Sri Lanka: A country involved in the arrest and release of Indian fishermen.
Sri Lankan Navy: The naval force of Sri Lanka, responsible for apprehending the fishermen.
Ministry of External Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for handling matters related to foreign affairs.
Kirti Vardhan Singh: The Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs.
Puducherry: A Union Territory in India, mentioned as the home of one of the fishermen in Sri Lankan custody.
Joint Working Group on fisheries: A bilateral institutional mechanism between India and Sri Lanka to address issues related to fishermen.
Indian fishermen: Citizens of India engaged in fishing activities.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 1026
ANSWERED ON - 25/07/2025
TAMIL NADU FISHERMEN ARRESTED BY SRI LANKAN NAVY
1026. DR. GANAPATHY RAJKUMAR P
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Indians imprisoned in Foreign Jails country-wise as on
date;
(b) the total number of fishermen from Tamil Nadu who were arrested
and their fishing boats confiscated by the Sri Lankan Navy during the
last three years;
(c) the total number of fishermen and boats which have been released
from Sri Lanka during the said period; and
(d) whether about 29 fishermen from Tamil Nadu are still illegally held
in Sri Lankan Jails and if so, the action taken/proposed to be taken by
the Government to bring them back?
1ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) As per the information available with the Ministry, the number of
Indian prisoners, including undertrials, in foreign prisons at present is
10574. Country-wise list is placed at Annexure A. However, due to
strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries, the local authorities
do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned
consents to the disclosure of such information. Even countries which
share information do not generally provide detailed information about
the foreign nationals imprisoned.
(b) Information on the total number of fishermen from Tamil Nadu who
were arrested and their fishing boats confiscated by the Sri Lankan
Navy during the last three years are as follows:
Year No. of Tamil Nadu fishermen No. of boats
apprehended
confiscated
2024 526 72
2023 220 33
2022 229 31
2(c) Information on the total number of fishermen and boats which have
been released from Sri Lanka during the last three years are as follows:
Year No. of Indian fishermen released No. of boats released
2024 538 02
2023 240 14
2022 268 01
(d) As of 15 July 2025, a total of 28 Indian fishermen are in Sri Lankan
custody, of whom 27 are from Tamil Nadu and one fisherman is from
Puducherry.
Government of India attaches the highest priority to the safety, security
and welfare of Indian fishermen. The Government has been consistently
taking up these issues, including the early release and repatriation of
Indian fishermen and fishing boats, with the Sri Lankan Government
through bilateral mechanisms, diplomatic channels, and various official
interactions, including by the Prime Minister in his recent meeting (05
April 2025) with the Sri Lankan President. In all our interactions, it has
been conveyed that this issue may be considered purely on
humanitarian and livelihood grounds.
3All issues related to fishermen are also dealt with through bilateral
institutional mechanisms such as the regular meetings of the Joint
Working Group on fisheries, which includes representatives from the
Government of Tamil Nadu. The last JWG meeting on fisheries was held
on 29 October 2024.
Further, Indian Consular officials continue to make regular visits to
local jails and detention centers to ascertain the condition of Indian
fishermen and provide requisite support and necessary legal assistance
to ensure their welfare and assist with their early release and
repatriation.
4Annexure A
Sr. Country Total number of Indians under trial
No. and convicted in Foreign Jails at
present
1 Afghanistan 8
2 Angola 1
3 Armenia 61
4 Australia 28
5 Azerbaijan 5
6 Bahrain 261
7 Belarus 9
8 Belgium 1
9 Bhutan 71
10 Brunei Darussalam 8
11 Cambodia 24
12 Canada 1
13 Chile 1
14 China 183
15 Congo 8
16 Cote d’ Ivoire 5
17 Croatia 10
18 Cuba 4
519 Cyprus 21
20 Denmark 2
21 Egypt 1
22 Ethiopia 7
23 France 53
24 Georgia 24
25 Germany 81
26 Ghana 2
27 Greece 24
28 Hungary 4
29 Indonesia 25
30 Iran 11
31 Iraq 1
32 Ireland 7
33 Italy 162
34 Jamaica 1
35 Japan 4
36 Jordan 27
37 Kazakhstan 12
38 Kenya 4
39 Kuwait 342
40 Kyrgyzstan 4
41 Laos 6
42 Lebanon 3
43 Madagascar 4
644 Malawi 1
45 Malaysia 380
46 Maldives 10
47 Mali 3
48 Mauritius 10
49 Mozambique 3
50 Myanmar 17
51 Nepal 1357
52 Nigeria 5
53 Oman 121
54 Pakistan 246
55 Philippines 59
56 Poland 14
57 Qatar 795
58 Republic of Korea 4
59 Russia 37
60 Rwanda 2
61 Saudi Arabia 2379
62 Senegal 5
63 Serbia 2
64 Seychelles 1
765 Singapore 138
66 Slovenia 2
67 South Africa 1
68 Spain 39
69 Sri Lanka 60
70 Sudan 1
71 Switzerland 3
72 Tajikistan 1
73 Tanzania 3
74 Thailand 58
75 Turkiye 4
76 UAE 2773
77 Uganda 11
78 United Kingdom 323
79 USA 175
80 Uzbekistan 3
81 Vietnam 6
82 Yemen 1
10574
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