91 Indian students died in Canada in 5 years, out of 403 total dead abroad

The Government of India has reported that a total of 403 Indian students have lost their lives abroad since 2018 due to various reasons, including natural causes, accidents, and medical conditions.

The data, disclosed by the Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan, in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, December 7, highlights Canada as the country topping the list in terms of student deaths.

The details

• Canada saw the highest number of reported deaths of Indian students, accounting for 91 cases.
• Following closely is the United Kingdom with 48, Russia with 40, the United States with 36, Australia with 35, Ukraine with 21, Germany with 20, and Cyprus with 14.
• Italy and the Philippines each reported 10 deaths of Indian students.

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Muraleedharan also stressed the commitment of the Indian government to the safety and well-being of students abroad, saying, "The safety and security of Indian students abroad is one of the foremost priorities for the Government of India."

Assurance and measures

• To address concerns and prevent such incidents in the future, the minister said that heads of mission and senior officials regularly visit colleges and universities to interact with Indian students.
• In the event of any unfortunate incident, the government ensures swift action by engaging with the authorities of the host country, he added.
• He said that the distressed students receive consular assistance, including emergency medical care and lodging

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Vigilance

• The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, on Thursday, December 7, said, "Our consulates do reach out to families; we also take up such cases with the local authorities."
• During the weekly press briefing on Thursday, he added, "There are individual incidents where there has been foul play and others."
• The government's consulates remain vigilant, he added.

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