UN, Refugees Accuse India of Forcing Rohingya to Sea

The United Nations and Rohingya refugees have accused Indian authorities of forcibly sending dozens of Rohingya into open waters near the Myanmar coast, a move that has sparked international concern.

According to the UN human rights office, the Indian Navy allegedly put around 40 Rohingya—among them women, children, and elderly individuals—into the sea last week. The group, provided only with life jackets, reportedly swam ashore in Myanmar. Their current whereabouts remain unknown.

Five Rohingya refugees said their relatives, including 15 Christians, were detained in New Delhi on 6 May and flown out two days later. They were allegedly blindfolded and taken near the Myanmar border, where they were forced into the water. A petition has been filed with India’s Supreme Court by lawyer Dilawar Hussain, calling on authorities to retrieve the group.

India's Navy and Ministry of External Affairs have not responded to the allegations.

The UN described the incident as "unconscionable" and "unacceptable," and appointed a special rapporteur to investigate. It urged India to halt such inhumane actions and warned against deporting individuals to dangerous conditions in Myanmar.

UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews condemned the reported act as a “blatant disregard for human life” and a violation of the international principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits returning individuals to places where they may face serious threats.

India does not have a formal refugee protection framework and is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol. Nonetheless, it hosts approximately 40,000 Rohingya refugees, around 22,500 of whom are registered with the UN Refugee Agency. Many live in overcrowded camps and face growing hostility.

One refugee, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety, said his brother called him on 8 May from a Myanmar island using a borrowed phone. He claimed that Indian officials removed their blindfolds, handed them life jackets, and instructed them to swim to shore. His entire family, including his parents and siblings, was among those deported.

The refugee shared photographs of his brother in police custody and a voice recording in which another deportee described how some members of the group were beaten by naval personnel. These claims have not been independently verified.

Rohingya in India have increasingly faced pressure from Hindu nationalist groups demanding their removal. Many have been detained or deported to Bangladesh or Myanmar. Critics argue that India’s 2019 citizenship law has further marginalised Muslim minorities, including the Rohingya.