India has brought back 274 fugitives from 36 countries over the last seven years. The government says tougher laws, sharper coordination and technology-driven tracking accelerated extraditions.
India has repatriated 274 fugitives from 36 countries over the last seven years, averaging around 40 returns a year — nearly 10 times the annual average recorded between 2004 and 2013, the government said on Tuesday.
The Home Ministry also said assets worth Rs 17,874 crore belonging to fugitives had been attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act during the period, as it described the extradition of fugitives as a “national priority”.
According to the ministry, the 274 fugitives brought back between 2019 and July 2026 included nine wanted in financial crimes, 17 in terror cases, 42 for organised criminal activities, 62 for murder, robbery and violent crimes, 53 for sexual crimes and sexual crimes against children, 16 for drug peddling, 12 in smuggling and fake currency cases, 18 in human trafficking and 45 for other offences.
RED CORNER NOTICES RISE
The government said Interpol Red Notices issued against fugitive criminals had risen sharply in recent years.
According to the data, 40 Red Corner Notices were issued in 2022, followed by 100 in 2023, 107 in 2024, 112 in 2025 and 182 so far in 2026.
A total of 401 Red Notices were issued over the past three years, the ministry said.
A Red Notice is a request to law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender or similar legal action.
The Home Ministry said extradition requests were now being prepared in a more professional and standardised manner.
“Under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, extradition requests are now being prepared in a more professional and standardised manner,” it said, adding that written assurances were provided after taking into account the documentary requirements and legal expectations of the country concerned.
The ministry said India had developed an “integrated, intelligence-based, and technology-driven model” to tackle fugitives, which had helped strengthen action against them and secure their return.
GOVT CONTRASTS RECORD WITH 2004-2013
The ministry said India secured the extradition of only about four fugitives a year on average between 2004 and 2013, while 110 extradition requests remained pending.
It said that before 2014, India had extradition treaties with 37 countries and did not have a dedicated law dealing with economic fugitives or the confiscation of their assets.
“In addition, incomplete documentation and slow processing made the extradition process highly cumbersome, often leading foreign courts to deny extradition requests,” the ministry said.
It also referred to legal and judicial hurdles, including the principles of double jeopardy and dual criminality, which it said had frequently resulted in extradition requests being rejected.
The statement further blamed the absence of effective coordination and a unified strategy among the Home Ministry and other departments for delays in information-sharing, location tracking and the issuance of Red Corner Notices.
“Previous governments lacked the political will to bring back fugitives; the Modi government has made the extradition of fugitives a ‘national priority’,” it said.
The ministry said the government’s approach, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, focused on “global outreach, strong coordination and smart diplomacy”.
MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH
The government said the effort involves coordination among 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 Goods and Services Tax Intelligence and state police forces.
The constitution of a Standing Focus Group under the Intelligence Bureau’s Multi Agency Centre in January 2026 was described as a “significant institutional step”.
The group is tasked with prioritising fugitive cases, standardising dossiers, closing information gaps, following up with foreign partners and providing national-level support to cases initiated by state agencies.
“Fugitives operating from abroad are not dormant case files, they represent live operational threats that require sustained, coordinated, and proactive action,” the ministry said.
LEGAL CHANGES STRENGTHEN FUGITIVE CASES
The ministry also pointed to legal changes aimed at making it harder for fugitives to evade proceedings.
The Fugitive Economic Offenders Act was enacted in 2018 to strengthen action against fugitives, while amendments to the NIA Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 2019 expanded enforcement beyond banned organisations to individual terrorists, handlers, financiers and overseas networks.
India’s hosting of the 90th Interpol General Assembly in 2022 also provided further impetus to efforts to bring fugitives back, the ministry said.
The CBI’s BHARATPOL platform, launched in January 2025, has connected more than 1,400 agencies by bringing together the CBI, state police headquarters through Interpol Liaison Officers and district police headquarters on a single platform.
The ministry said information sought by the CBI is now generally shared by other law enforcement agencies within 10 to 20 days, and in some cases within three to 10 days, helping speed up investigations and extradition proceedings.
The Union Home Minister has also held five important meetings on the issue, it said.
