Narendra Modi: Release of Indians in foreign jails on Modi's initiative

The Modi government has achieved significant success in releasing thousands of Indians stuck in foreign jails. The Indian government has worked to strengthen diplomatic relations and cooperate with Arab countries to release those serving sentences for petty crimes. It has taken special initiatives to resolve the problems of fishermen in particular.

Indians are stuck in foreign prisons for many reasons . Most notably - not leaving the country even after the visa expires. Mistakes made due to lack of understanding of foreign laws, illegal migration, becoming victims of human trafficking, poaching without permission, especially crossing borders by sea. Once in a foreign prison, problems such as lack of understanding of the language, lack of understanding of the legal system, and lack of legal assistance are faced. The Indian government is working hard to protect such people.

Prisoner release through strengthening diplomatic relations

Since 2014, the Indian government has made the issue of foreign prisoners a priority and has signed several agreements. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, about 10,000 Indians have been released in the last ten years . The situation in Arab countries The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman have a large number of Indians. Since the laws in these countries are strict, even minor offenses are punished severely. However, the Indian government has been negotiating with the governments there and granting amnesty to Indian prisoners during Ramadan and national celebrations. Between 2022-2025- The UAE released 639 Indian prisoners in 2022. This number increased to 700 in 2023. In 2024, 944 prisoners were released.500 Indians released in 2025. Saudi Arabia- released 850 Indians in 2019. Qatar- Modi government negotiated the release of 8 Indian naval personnel sentenced to death. Iran- 43 Indians were released in 2023 and 77 in 2024. Bahrain- released 250 prisoners in 2019. Kuwait- released 22 Indians and commuted the sentences of 97. Indian fishermen who enter Sri Lankan and Pakistani waters are frequently arrested. Pakistan has released 2,639 fishermen since 2014. Sri Lanka has released 3,697 Indian fishermen. Although Indians being held in foreign jails is an inevitable problem, thousands of Indians are being freed due to the diplomatic skills of the Modi government. Prime Minister Modi is directly negotiating to get prisoners released through Presidential Pardon. Steps should be taken to address this problem more strategically in the future.