India's anti-trafficking measures show progress, says US report; country stays in Tier 2

Washington DC: India's efforts to combat human trafficking have been acknowledged in the United States' 2026 Trafficking in Persons Report, which highlighted the repatriation of 6,720 Indians exploited in online scam operations across Southeast Asia, alongside measures to strengthen enforcement, protect victims and use technology to identify trafficking risks.

Released on Thursday (local time), the report retained India in Tier 2 but noted that the country had made "overall increasing efforts compared with the previous reporting period". It also stated that some of India's initiatives "should be applauded".
6,720 Indians repatriated from Southeast Asian scam centres

The report highlighted India's repatriation, by December 2025, of 6,720 nationals subjected to forced criminality at online scam operations in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. The Ministry of External Affairs facilitated their return through the Indian Community Welfare Fund, it said.

India also expanded its anti-trafficking infrastructure, with the government funding eight additional Anti-Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs). This took the number of operational units across the country to 827 in 2025, eight more than the previous year.

The report also noted the launch of an artificial intelligence-based tool by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in January 2026. The tool is designed to map trafficking and child marriage hotspots, identify children vulnerable to exploitation and track organised crime.

Action against unlicensed maritime recruiters

The report highlighted steps to regulate recruitment in the maritime sector, noting that nearly 100 companies were prevented from recruiting seafarers after authorities identified unlicensed recruiters and cases of crew abandonment.

It also noted that 3,505 unregistered agencies had grievances listed on the eMigrate portal.

On victim protection, the report referred to an allocation of Rs 25.21 billion for protection services, One-Stop Centres, women's helplines and 404 Shakti Sadan homes.

It also highlighted the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights' "Combating Child Trafficking 3.0 initiative", launched in July 2025 to address trafficking risks in more than 200 vulnerable districts.

The report further noted that the Supreme Court issued guidelines in April 2025 for the completion of child trafficking trials within six months.

Centre urges states to strengthen anti-trafficking response

Separately, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has called on states and Union Territories to strengthen the implementation of India's three new criminal laws and make greater use of technology to combat human trafficking.

In a letter dated August 28 to the Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of states and Union Territories, the ministry described anti-trafficking efforts as an "important priority" of the Central government.

The MHA stressed that the effectiveness of the legal and digital framework depended on implementation at the state level.

"While the Union government has provided a comprehensive statutory and digital roadmap, the functional success of these reforms is dependent on the decisive leadership of states and UTs, and the efficiency and rigour with which these tools are used by them," the letter stated.

The advisory called for the use of relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, to target organised trafficking networks, their financiers and key operators. It emphasised that "human trafficking is rarely an isolated crime" and "it is typically the work of organised syndicates".

The ministry also urged states to strengthen Anti-Human Trafficking Units, appoint specialised public prosecutors, prioritise trafficking trials and use digital evidence, forensic tools and audio-video recording to improve investigations.

Focus on online recruitment fraud

The MHA called for greater coordination between states through the Crime Multi Agency Centre (Cri-MAC) and Joint Investigation Teams. It also urged authorities to monitor online job portals and social media to identify fraudulent overseas recruitment schemes that lure Indians into exploitative conditions at online scam operations.

"States must ensure that every Anti-Human Trafficking Unit is fully staffed, specialised, and actively engaged in the field and does not remain merely an empty formality," the advisory stated.

The ministry asked states and Union Territories to circulate the advisory among police stations and field officers, while strengthening training and coordination.

"The fight against human trafficking serves as a definitive benchmark of constitutional obligation and administrative efficacy," the advisory stated.