India on Wednesday, 1 July formally urged Pakistan to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners who have already completed their sentences, as both nations exchanged their annual lists of each other's nationals in custody through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad.

Annual List Exchange Under 2008 Agreement

The exchange was conducted under the Agreement on Consular Access signed between India and Pakistan in 2008, which mandates such lists be shared every year on 1 January and 1 July. India shared lists of 386 civil prisoners and 53 fishermen in its custody who are Pakistani or believed-to-be-Pakistani. Pakistan, in turn, shared lists of 52 civil prisoners and 198 fishermen in its custody who are Indian or believed-to-be-Indian.

What the Ministry of External Affairs Said

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Government of India has consistently called for the early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel held in Pakistan. 'The Government of India has consistently called for early release and repatriation of civil prisoners, fishermen along with their boats, and missing Indian defence personnel from Pakistan's custody. Pakistan has been urged to expedite the release and repatriation of 188 Indian fishermen and civil prisoners, who have completed their sentences,' the MEA stated.

The ministry further pressed Pakistan to provide immediate consular access to 13 civil prisoners currently in Pakistani custody who are believed to be Indian and have not yet been granted such access. The MEA also called on Pakistan to ensure the safety, security, and welfare of all Indian and believed-to-be-Indian prisoners pending their return.

Progress Since 2014: Over 2,700 Repatriated

According to the MEA, sustained diplomatic efforts have resulted in the repatriation of 2,661 Indian fishermen and 78 Indian civil prisoners from Pakistan since 2014. Of these, 500 fishermen and 20 civil prisoners have been repatriated since 2023. Notably, the pace of repatriations has remained a point of concern for New Delhi, given that a significant number of those who have served their full sentences continue to remain in Pakistani detention.

Broader Context and What's Next

The issue of Indian fishermen languishing in Pakistani jails — often long after their sentences end — has been a recurring diplomatic friction point between the two neighbours. Many of these fishermen are from coastal states such as Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, and are detained after inadvertently crossing the maritime boundary in the Arabian Sea. This is the latest in a series of such diplomatic exchanges, and New Delhi's reiteration of the demand signals that progress on actual releases remains slow. Advocacy groups and families of the detained have long urged both governments to treat these cases on humanitarian grounds, separate from the broader bilateral tensions. The MEA's public statement is expected to keep diplomatic pressure on Islamabad ahead of any future bilateral engagement.