$118.3 bn received in remittances since 2018-19: Govt to Lok Sabha

An estimated 13.62 million Indian nationals are staying abroad and $118.3 billion has been received as remittances since April 2018 up to September last year, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan cited figures which showed that countries like Nepal, the Middle East region, the UK, the US, Malaysia and Germany have a large number of Indians living there.

According to the data received from Indian missions, there are an estimated 13.62 million Indians abroad, he said.

According to the RBI data, during 2018-19, $76.4 billion was received as remittances, while during period 2019-20 (April-September), $41.9 billion was received, Muraleedharan said.

Replying to another question, he said the number of Indians involved in financial irregularities with the banks as well as those who are under criminal investigation from 2015 onwards are 72 and considerable amount of Proceeds of Crime (PoC) are involved in respect of these cases.

Muraleedharan, in reply to a separate question, also informed Parliament that mortal remains of 21,930 Indian nationals from 125 countries have been brought back to India since 2015 till December, 2019.

On the issue of prisoners in Pakistan's custody, he said as per the available information, 275 Indians, including fishermen are presently believed to be in Pakistan's custody.

However, as per the lists shared on January 1, 2020, Pakistan has acknowledged the custody of 262 of them, he said.

In addition, there is the issue of 83 missing Indian defence personnel, including prisoners of war, whose custody has not been acknowledged by Pakistan, so far, Muraleedharan said.