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New Delhi, August 4
India has brought back 274 fugitive suspects from 36 countries since 2019, according to the Indian government, which says the increase reflects changes to extradition laws, stronger international cooperation and wider use of technology.
The government says the effort has been driven under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration, with the Ministry of Home Affairs making the return of fugitive offenders a priority. Officials say the strategy combines diplomatic engagement, intelligence-sharing and closer coordination with foreign law enforcement agencies.
India enacted the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act in 2018, aimed at tackling economic offenders who flee the country and enabling authorities to confiscate certain assets. The government says the legislation, alongside subsequent legal reforms, has strengthened its ability to pursue suspects overseas.
Officials argue that India’s extradition system faced significant challenges before 2014. They say the country had extradition treaties with 37 nations, no dedicated legal framework for economic fugitives and lengthy processing times that often delayed or weakened extradition requests. Government data also states that, between 2004 and 2013, India secured an average of four extraditions a year while more than 100 requests remained pending.
The government says amendments to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in 2019 expanded the scope of investigations beyond banned organisations to include alleged individual terrorists, financial networks and overseas support structures. Officials say this marked the beginning of a mission-mode approach to tracing fugitives from 2020 onwards.
In 2024, India introduced three new criminal laws, including provisions in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) that allow trials to proceed in the absence of an accused person in certain cases. The government says the measures are intended to prevent cases from stalling when suspects remain outside the country.
India also says it has increased cooperation with international policing agencies. During the 90th Interpol General Assembly, hosted in New Delhi in 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah called for greater communication, collaboration and cooperation among law enforcement agencies.
In January 2025, the government launched BHARATPOL a platform designed to connect the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) state police headquarters and other agencies. Officials say more than 1,400 state and central units are now linked through the system reducing the time taken to exchange information with international partners and supporting extradition efforts.
The government says enforcement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has also intensified. It states that assets worth ₹17,874 crore linked to fugitive offenders were attached between 2019 and 2026. A Special Global Operations Centre has also been established within the CBI to coordinate with Interpol and overseas police agencies in tracking wanted individuals.
The government figures show an increase in the number of Interpol Red Corner Notices sought in recent years.
According to official data, 40 notices were issued in 2022, rising to 100 in 2023, 107 in 2024, 112 in 2025 and 182 so far in 2026. The officials also say that over the past three years, 401 Red Corner Notices have been issued.
Officials say initiatives such as Operation Trishul have used satellite imagery, surveillance and digital analysis to locate fugitives believed to be living abroad under assumed identities. The government says technological tools, including video conferencing for court proceedings, have also helped speed up extradition-related legal processes.
The figures and claims are based on information released by the Government of India.
The North News
