The journey abroad is not proving easy for thousands of Indians who have moved to Gulf countries in search of a bright future and better earnings. According to shocking figures presented in Parliament by the Ministry of External Affairs, a total of 5,548 Indians are currently behind bars in various countries of the Gulf region. These include both undertrial prisoners and criminals serving their sentence. This situation is a big warning to those youth who go abroad without complete information and legal understanding.
Actually, these figures came to light when Iqra Chaudhary, MP from Kairana Lok Sabha constituency, asked questions from the Ministry of External Affairs about the youth who had gone from Uttar Pradesh to work in Gulf countries. In particular, he raised questions regarding the youth of Uttar Pradesh who are currently stuck in the jails of Gulf countries.
These questions were answered on March 13. However, in its response the ministry presented figures for Indian prisoners instead of giving specific information about prisoners from Uttar Pradesh.
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Highest number of Indian prisoners in Saudi Arabia
According to government data, the highest number of Indian prisoners among the Gulf countries has been recorded in Saudi Arabia. There are 2,478 Indians lodged in jails here. After this, 1,419 Indian prisoners have been registered in UAE, 870 in Qatar, 379 in Kuwait, 303 in Bahrain and 99 in Oman. These figures are based on official records till December 31, 2025.
What are their crimes?
It was not mentioned in the document as to which crimes these prisoners were in jail for. It only says that these are both under trial and convicted prisoners. In some cases, fraud by recruitment agents and drug-related allegations have been cited as examples. However, there are many crimes that are often heard about in the context of these Indian prisoners.
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There are many reasons behind Indians going to jail in Gulf countries. The most common reason among these is violation of visa and residency rules. Many people go on tourist visa and start looking for jobs there or stay in the country even after the visa expires, which is considered a serious crime there.
Apart from this, crimes related to drugs and alcohol are also a big reason. Especially in Saudi Arabia, the consumption, manufacture or sale of alcohol is strictly prohibited and there is a provision for extremely severe punishment in drug cases.
Additionally, many people end up in jail for crimes like violating traffic rules, selling goods without a permit, or failing to repay loans. On the other hand, many Indians who go abroad after falling prey to the tricks of fake agents, later get entangled in legal troubles and ultimately have to serve jail sentences.
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