TL;DR Between 2021 and 2025, about 54,550 Indian citizens died abroad, averaging nearly 10,900 per year. Deaths dipped to 9,740 in 2022 but rose again, peaking at 11,841 in 2024. While the UAE and Saudi Arabia report the highest total deaths because they host large Indian populations, countries like Nigeria and Angola had the highest mortality rates in 2024 when adjusted for community size. In 2025 alone, five countries, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the USA, Kuwait and Oman, accounted for nearly 65% of all Indian deaths abroad.

Context
Almost every Indian knows someone working abroad. A cousin in Dubai, an uncle in Saudi Arabia, a friend studying in the US. For many families, a job overseas means better pay and regular remittances back home.

But with millions of Indians living outside the country, deaths abroad are a reality too. From 2021 to 2025, around 54,550 Indian citizens died outside India. That works out to roughly 30 deaths every day. Except for 2022, deaths remained above 11,000 each year.

Who Compiles This Data?
The data comes from the Ministry of External Affairs and was shared in Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 724 on 05 February 2026. It provides year-wise and country-wise figures of Indian deaths abroad.

Where can I download Clean & Structured Data on Deaths of Indian Citizens Abroad ?
Clean, structured, and ready-to-use datasets related to year-wise and country-wise deaths of Indian citizens abroad can be downloaded from Dataful.

Key Insights

Total deaths abroad remain above 11,000 in most years
From 2021 to 2025, the number of Indian citizens who died abroad stayed around 11000 annually. In 2021, the figure was 11,138. It then dropped to 9,740 in 2022, a fall of about 12.5% from the previous year and the only time in this period when deaths went below 10,000. This could be linked to post-pandemic movement patterns, delayed travel, or reporting adjustments after COVID waves.

This trend reversed quickly. In 2023, deaths rose to 11,061, which is nearly a 13.6% increase compared to 2022. The number climbed further in 2024 to 11,841, marking another rise of about 7% from 2023 and making it the highest point in these five years. In 2025, the total dipped slightly to 11,770, a marginal decline of around 0.6% compared to 2024.

Three countries show very high mortality rates in 2024
Looking only at total deaths can be misleading. Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have very large Indian populations, so even normal mortality levels translate into high absolute numbers. But when we adjust for the size of the Indian community and calculate mortality rates, the picture changes completely.

In 2024, Nigeria recorded a mortality rate of about 253 per 1000 NRIs, which is by far the highest among all countries with Indian residents. Angola followed at roughly 169, and Senegal at around 114. Even Burkina Faso, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia and Sudan, though lower in comparison, had elevated rates of about 40, 30, 25 and 24, respectively.

These are not countries with very large Indian communities. In fact, the Indian population in most of these nations is relatively small. That means even a limited number of deaths can push up the mortality rate sharply.

Security issues in Nigeria and Sudan, political instability in Burkina Faso, occupational risks in Angola and Senegal, student populations in Kyrgyzstan, and healthcare or economic pressures in Tunisia may partly explain the pattern.

Notably, none of these countries appears among the top in total deaths, highlighting how raw numbers and mortality rates can tell two very different stories. One reflects population size. The other reflects relative risk.

Five countries account for most Indian deaths abroad
If we look at 2025 alone, five countries clearly dominate the numbers. Out of 11,770 total deaths of Indian citizens abroad that year, 2,754 occurred in the UAE and 2,659 in Saudi Arabia. Each accounted for about 23% of the total, together accounting for nearly 46%.

The United States recorded 947 deaths in 2025, around 8% of the total. Kuwait saw 750 deaths, around 6%, and Oman 521 deaths, about 4%. Combined, these five countries made up nearly 65% of all Indian citizen deaths abroad in 2025. In simple terms, nearly two out of every three deaths happened in just five countries.

This pattern has remained consistent since 2021, with the UAE and Saudi Arabia together accounting for roughly 44% to 46% of total deaths each year. The dominance of the UAE and Saudi Arabia is not surprising. These countries host large Indian migrant worker populations, especially in construction, services and oil related sectors.

The USA consistently appears in the top three or four countries. Unlike Gulf nations, where most Indians are workers, the US has a mix of students, professionals and long-term residents. The number of deaths there rose from 789 in 2022 to 1,201 in 2024, which is a 52% increase in just two years. That is significant and may reflect the large influx of students.

Why Does It Matter?
Three things stand out. First, deaths abroad remain above 10,000 in most years, affecting thousands of families.

Second, most deaths occur in Gulf countries due to large migrant populations, but some smaller African nations show disproportionately high mortality rates.

Third, year-to-year shifts, such as the 12.5% fall in 2022 followed by a 13.6% rise in 2023, show how quickly global conditions can change outcomes.

For policymakers, the focus should be on worker safety in high-population countries and closer monitoring of high-risk regions. For citizens, the data underlines the importance of insurance, safety awareness and support systems when living abroad.

Key Numbers (from 2021 to 2025)

• Total deaths of Indian citizens abroad:
  2021: 11,138
  2022: 9,740
  2023: 11,061
  2024: 11,841
  2025: 11,770

• Highest mortality rates in 2024:
  Nigeria: 253
  Angola: 169
  Senegal: 114
  Burkina Faso: 40
  Kyrgyzstan: 30
  Tunisia: 25
  Sudan: 24

• Top 5 countries with the most deaths in 2025:
  UAE: 2,754
  Saudi Arabia: 2,659
  USA: 947
  Kuwait: 750
  Oman: 521

Note: Featured Image generated with ChatGPT