India has successfully brought back 274 fugitive criminals from 36 countries between 2021 and 2026, marking a significant increase in its efforts to track, extradite and prosecute offenders who have fled abroad. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the government has adopted an integrated, intelligence-led and technology-driven approach to tackle fugitive criminals, backed by legal reforms, international cooperation and advanced investigative tools.
The Ministry said the government's strategy has transformed India's ability to pursue fugitives across borders, ensuring that individuals accused of serious crimes cannot evade justice by taking refuge in foreign countries. According to the MHA, the issue of fugitive offenders is closely linked to the country's sovereignty, economic stability, law and order, and national security.
To reinforce action against economic offenders, the government enacted the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018, providing authorities with a dedicated legal mechanism to prosecute economic fugitives and confiscate their assets. The Ministry noted that before 2014, India lacked a specific law to deal with fugitive economic offenders, making it difficult to take effective legal action against those who escaped overseas after committing financial crimes.
The Act empowers authorities to declare certain economic offenders as fugitives and enables the confiscation of their properties, thereby reducing the incentives for financial criminals to flee the country.
The Ministry contrasted the current achievements with the situation before 2014. It said India had extradition treaties with only 37 countries and secured the extradition of merely four fugitives annually on average between 2004 and 2013. During the same period, 110 extradition requests remained pending, reflecting what the Ministry described as inadequate institutional focus and limited international engagement.
According to the Ministry, previous governments lacked the political will to aggressively pursue fugitives, whereas the present government has elevated the extradition of offenders to a national priority, resulting in greater diplomatic engagement and improved coordination with foreign governments.
Home Minister Amit Shah outlined a comprehensive three-pronged strategy to deal with fugitive criminals, focusing on global outreach, strong inter-agency coordination, and smart diplomacy.
He said the government has significantly expanded cooperation with foreign governments and international law enforcement agencies, enabling faster processing of extradition requests and improved intelligence sharing. The Minister emphasized that bringing fugitives back to face justice is essential for protecting India's economic interests and strengthening public confidence in the rule of law.
The Ministry highlighted a sharp rise in the use of INTERPOL Red Corner Notices over the last three years as part of its international enforcement efforts. It said notices have been issued against 401 fugitive criminals, helping law enforcement agencies across the world identify, locate and provisionally arrest wanted individuals pending extradition or deportation.
The increased use of international policing mechanisms has enhanced India's ability to monitor fugitives who attempt to change their identities or relocate across multiple jurisdictions.
A major technological initiative supporting the government's efforts is BHARATPOL, a platform that links more than 1,400 Indian law enforcement agencies with INTERPOL.
According to the Ministry, BHARATPOL has dramatically reduced the time required for international information sharing from several weeks or months to between three and ten days, enabling quicker verification of intelligence, faster tracing of suspects and improved coordination during extradition proceedings.
The platform has strengthened communication among police forces, investigative agencies and international counterparts, making cross-border investigations more efficient.
The Ministry also highlighted Operation Trishul, under which authorities have employed satellite technology and digital footprint analysis to locate fugitive criminals hiding abroad after changing their names, identities or travel documents.
Using advanced digital investigation techniques, agencies have been able to geo-locate suspects and gather evidence regarding their movements, significantly improving the chances of tracing and bringing them back to India.
The government said the combination of stronger laws, international cooperation, modern technology and coordinated diplomacy has considerably enhanced India's capacity to pursue fugitives across borders, ensuring that those accused of serious crimes face the judicial process regardless of where they seek refuge.
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