NEW DELHI, Feb 6: Seventeen Indians studying in Canada died on account of “violent attacks” during 2018-2025, the Government informed Parliament on Friday.
Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha by AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on incidents of violence against Indian students abroad, shared a country-wise tabulated data.
According to the data, the total number of Indian students in various foreign universities in different countries who had died on account of violent attacks during 2018-2025 stood as: Canada (17), the US (9), Australia (3), the UK (1), China (1), Denmark (1), Germany (1), Grenada (1) and Kyrgyzstan (2).
Owaisi asked the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) whether the Government is aware of the “rising incidents of violence against Indian students abroad” and if any timely investigation has been conducted in this connection.
“The Government accords high priority to the safety and security of Indian students abroad and monitors incidents of violence against them. Violent and untoward incidents against them are immediately taken up by the Indian Missions/Posts abroad with the concerned authorities of the host country to ensure that they are properly investigated and the perpetrators are punished,” Singh said.
In his response, he shared a “country-wise list of the total number of Indian students in foreign universities who had died on account of violent attacks since 2018”.
“ Indian missions and posts also take steps to maintain regular contact with Indian students enrolled in foreign universities in their jurisdictions and conduct pre-orientation sessions with them upon their arrival in foreign lands to brief them on potential challenges, risks and precautions to be taken while studying overseas, including the issue of advisories from time to time,” he said.
With a view to ensuring effective communication and timely support, Indian students are encouraged to connect with the local Indian missions and posts through various means, including the MADAD Portal of the MEA, WhatsApp groups created specifically for Indian students, consular camps, open houses and emergency hotlines, the government said.
Owaisi also asked about diplomatic steps taken by the Government to enhance safety and mitigate risk for students in high-risk countries, and whether the government maintains any helpline to make complaints in case of distress abroad.
“Indian Missions/Posts also remain vigilant, particularly in countries affected by political instability, economic crises, and where the risks of students being misled or exploited may be higher. Any incident affecting Indian students is immediately raised with host governments to ensure their safety and appropriate redressal,” Singh said.
Consular assistance, including emergency medical support, temporary accommodation and other essential services, is extended whenever needed. The Indian Community Welfare Fund (ICWF) is utilised to support Indian nationals, including students, in times of distress and extend assistance when necessary, the MoS said.
During emergencies, the government of India has undertaken large-scale evacuation operations to protect and bring home Indian nationals, including students.
Notable recent evacuation operations include Operation Devi Shakti (Afghanistan), Operation Ganga (Ukraine), Operation Kaveri (Sudan), Operation Ajay (Israel) and Operation Sindhu (Israel and Iran).
“These efforts demonstrate the government of India’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of Indian students abroad and towards protecting them from miscreants and an unsafe security situation,” he said.
In response to a separate query, Singh said the government of India is aware that “some Indian nationals, including students, in Canada and other countries, such as the USA and the Gulf, are facing deportation proceedings for alleged violations of visa norms, non-compliance with the regulations of host countries and submission of fraudulent letters of admission to academic institutions”.
Also, in several countries, Indian students are faced with deportation proceedings principally for having breached their visa conditions, such as for undertaking employment that is not permitted under student visa rules, illegal business activities or violations of internal regulations of the host country, he said.
He also shared the country-wise number of Indian students deported or denied entry by foreign immigration authorities, during 2021-2025.
The number of Indian students who have been deported during 2021-2025 from various countries stood as: Australia (114), Russia (82), the UK (170), the US (45) and Ukraine (13) among other countries, according to the data shared.
The number of Indian students who have been denied entry to various countries during 2021-2025, stood as: the US (62) and Kyrgyzstan (11). (PTI)
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