India located 71 fugitives in foreign countries during 2024-25, marking the highest number in 12 years, according to government data. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) traced these individuals as per the Department of Personnel and Training's annual report. In the same year, 27 fugitives returned to India. The CBI also processed over 22,200 applications for Indian citizenship renunciation through the Home Ministry portal. At a CBI conference last year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated, "a ruthless approach is needed" to ensure extradition of fugitives. Over the past decade, the number of fugitives found abroad ranged from 15 in 2013 to 42 in 2015, before reaching 71 last year. The number of fugitives extradited or deported each year varies between 5 and 29, with 2023 seeing the highest figures. Since 2020, data includes fugitives who returned, were arrested, or found in India through Look Out Circulars (LoC). India has extradition treaties with 48 countries and arrangements with 12 others, stated the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in Parliament on December 19, 2025. The country is also part of multilateral conventions like the United Nations Convention against Corruption to aid in bringing back criminals. In the past five years, India sent 137 extradition requests abroad, with 134 accepted and 125 still pending. Three were rejected. The MEA added, "In the last five years, 25 fugitives have been successfully extradited to India." The CBI's Global Operations Centre tracks wanted criminals worldwide, working with foreign law enforcement and INTERPOL. Upon locating fugitives, it coordinates with agencies to bring them back. During 2024-2025, 74 judicial requests, called letters rogatory, were sent abroad—54 by the CBI and 20 by State and Central agencies. Of these, 47 were fully executed. As of March 31, 2025, 533 letters rogatory are pending with other countries, 276 linked to the CBI and 257 to other agencies.