SRINAGAR: More than 10,700 Indian women trapped, trafficked or stranded in Gulf and West Asian countries have been rescued and repatriated to India during the last five years, the government informed the Rajya Sabha.
The Ministry of External Affairs said Indian missions abroad continue to assist distressed women workers through consular services, emergency shelters, legal assistance and repatriation support, particularly in Gulf Cooperation Council countries where a large number of Indian domestic workers are employed.
According to data placed in Parliament, the highest number of women were rescued from Kuwait and Oman, followed by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, reflecting the concentration of Indian domestic workers and migrant labour in these countries.
Kuwait recorded the largest number of cases, with 5,592 Indian women assisted and repatriated between 2021 and 2025. The numbers rose from 919 in 2021 to 1,548 in 2022 and 1,636 in 2023, before declining to 661 in 2024 and 828 in 2025.
Oman reported the second-highest number, with 3,647 Indian women repatriated between 2021 and 2025. The figures increased sharply from 134 in 2021 to 479 in 2022, peaking at 1,064 in 2023 and 1,044 in 2024, before declining slightly to 926 in 2025.
In the United Arab Emirates, 429 Indian women were rescued and repatriated between 2021 and 2025, with numbers gradually declining from 147 in 2021 to 128 in 2022, 102 in 2023, 30 in 2024 and 22 in 2025.
Qatar reported 668 repatriations during the same period. No cases were reported in 2021, but 170 women were assisted in 2022, followed by 137 in 2023, 180 in 2024, 181 in 2025, and 35 cases in early 2026.
In Saudi Arabia, 135 Indian women were repatriated between 2022 and 2026, including 42 in 2022, 50 in 2023, 23 in 2024, 20 in 2025 and two cases so far in 2026.
Smaller numbers were reported from Bahrain and Iraq, where the Indian missions recorded 14 cases in Bahrain between 2021 and 2023, while five women were repatriated from Iraq between 2024 and 2026.
The Ministry of External Affairs said that whenever cases of distressed Indian nationals are reported, Indian missions take up the matter with local authorities and provide consular assistance including legal help, medical support, temporary shelter and travel arrangements for their return to India.
At present, 88 Indian women workers stranded in Oman are awaiting repatriation and have been lodged at a One Stop Centre in Muscat, while one Indian woman in the United Arab Emirates is awaiting completion of exit formalities for repatriation, the ministry said.
To strengthen support mechanisms, the government has begun establishing One Stop Centres in Gulf countries including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain to assist Indian women facing distress abroad. These centres provide counselling, shelter, legal assistance and coordination for repatriation.
In addition, assistance is provided through the Indian Community Welfare Fund, while grievances of overseas Indians can be registered through the MADAD portal, CPGRAMS platform, emergency helplines and consular outreach programmes. The government has also established Pravasi Bharatiya Sahayata Kendras in New Delhi, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur to offer guidance and support to Indian nationals in distress overseas.
Officials said India has also signed labour and manpower cooperation agreements with Gulf Cooperation Council countries and domestic worker protection agreements with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait to safeguard the rights and welfare of Indian workers abroad.
