India has significantly intensified its pursuit of fugitives hiding abroad, repatriating 274 wanted individuals from 36 countries between 2019 and July 2026, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The figure works out to an average of nearly 40 fugitives a year, almost ten times the annual average recorded between 2004 and 2013.
The government said the return of fugitives has been accorded the status of a national priority, backed by closer coordination among intelligence, investigative and diplomatic agencies. Alongside extradition efforts, authorities have attached assets worth Rs 17,874 crore belonging to fugitives under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The 274 fugitives brought back to India were wanted in a wide range of criminal cases. These included nine accused in financial crimes, 17 terror suspects, 42 involved in organised crime, 62 wanted for murder, robbery and other violent offences, 53 accused in sexual offences including crimes against children, 16 drug traffickers, 12 involved in smuggling and counterfeit currency cases, 18 linked to human trafficking and 45 wanted in other criminal matters.
The Home Ministry said India’s efforts have been supported by a sharp rise in the use of Interpol Red Corner Notices, which enable law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest wanted persons pending extradition or other legal proceedings.
The number of Red Notices issued has increased steadily in recent years. While 40 notices were issued in 2022, the figure rose to 100 in 2023, 107 in 2024, 112 in 2025 and 182 up to July 2026. In total, 401 Red Notices were issued over the last three years.
According to the ministry, extradition requests are now being prepared in a more professional and standardised manner. It said requests are accompanied by the documentary evidence and legal assurances required by foreign jurisdictions, helping improve India’s success rate in securing extraditions.
The government attributed the improvement to what it described as an integrated, intelligence-based and technology-driven model involving multiple agencies. The effort brings together the Intelligence Bureau, Central Bureau of Investigation, Research and Analysis Wing, National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, Ministry of External Affairs, Narcotics Control Bureau, Directorate General of GST Intelligence and state police forces.
The ministry contrasted the current performance with the period between 2004 and 2013, when India secured the return of only about four fugitives annually on average and more than 110 extradition requests remained pending. It said India then had extradition treaties with only 37 countries and lacked a dedicated legal framework to deal with economic fugitives and confiscation of their assets.
The statement also cited incomplete documentation, slow processing of cases and legal hurdles such as the principles of double jeopardy and dual criminality as factors that previously hampered extradition efforts. It added that inadequate coordination among agencies often led to delays in information sharing, tracking fugitives and obtaining Interpol notices.
A key institutional reform highlighted by the ministry is the creation of a Standing Focus Group under the Intelligence Bureau’s Multi Agency Centre in January 2026. The group has been tasked with prioritising fugitive cases, standardising dossiers, closing information gaps, coordinating with foreign partners and supporting investigations launched by state agencies.
Emphasising the continuing threat posed by absconders operating from foreign countries, the Home Ministry said fugitives should not be viewed as dormant case files but as live operational challenges requiring sustained and coordinated action. It added that India’s strategy combines global outreach, strong inter-agency coordination and diplomatic engagement to ensure that offenders cannot evade justice by crossing international borders.
