At least 2,900 Indian citizens, including software engineers, have been rescued from cyber scam centres operating across southeast Asia, but the exact number still trapped remains unknown, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) informed a parliamentary panel.
In its report tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the MEA revealed that 2,907 Indians have been freed from criminal operations in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar where they were forced to conduct cybercrimes and other fraudulent activities after being lured by fraud job recruitment agencies.
“The exact number of Indian nationals stuck in these countries is not known as they reach these scam centres on their own volition through fraudulent recruitment agencies and illegal channels,” the ministry stated in its submission.
The government has raised the issue at “political level” with host governments and notified 3,111 unregistered agents who exploit Indians through fake job offers, primarily via social media platforms, on its e-migrate portal.
According to MEA data shared with the panel, 1,091 citizens were brought back from Cambodia, 770 from Lao PDR, and 1,046 from Myanmar—including 549 rescued in two flights last month that were not included in the original report.
Law enforcement agencies indicate hundreds more Indians have been lured by criminal gangs operating in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand.
Panel seeks stronger measures
The parliamentary committee expressed displeasure with the MEA’s approach, urging the ministry to “go much beyond mere listing out fake agents in its efforts to protect Indians from trafficking and cyber slavery.”
The panel recommended educating even professionals that genuine foreign employers typically require educational certificates attested by the ministry of human resource development and the MEA, and that legitimate companies maintain professional websites with verifiable contact details.
“Indian embassies or consulates in the destination countries should always be available for assistance in verifying the employer through email or phone calls,” the committee stated.
Finding current penalties in the Emigration Act “insufficient,” the panel called for criminalising illegal recruitment practices with imprisonment to deter exploitation. It also recommended establishing a national migration database to track migrants’ movements, skills, and remittance patterns.
Student safety concerns
The committee noted that 14 Indian students have died due to violence or attacks abroad in the past three years, and called for standard operating procedures (SOPs) regarding student outreach by Indian missions.
With 1,779,097 Indian nationals studying overseas as of January 2024—making India second only to China in international student numbers—the committee highlighted the MEA’s admission that it doesn’t track students’ return or ongoing residence abroad.
“Non-availability of comprehensive data in respect of Indian students in a foreign country by our Missions is a lacuna,” the panel observed, urging the creation of a real-time database of students abroad as “an essential component of their safety and security framework.”
The ministry, while maintaining it does not have data, contended that “Indian missions/posts abroad do maintain regular contacts with Indian students enrolled in universities abroad”.
The committee emphasised the need for a “safety net” and policy framework specifically protecting Indian students in conflict-prone regions worldwide.