NRI marriages’, as generally understood, are between an Indian
woman from India and an Indian man residing in another country (thus NRI – non-resident Indian),
either as Indian citizen (when he would legally be an ‘NRI’) or as citizen of that other country
(when he would legally be a PIO – person of Indian origin). The problem is especially related to
Indian women who get trapped in deceptive matrimony with overseas Indians. They also ignore that in
case of things going wrong in an NRI marriage, the woman’s recourse to justice is greatly constrained
and complex. The aggravated risk in such marriage is the woman is being ‘isolated’ far away from
home in an alien land, facing language constraints, communication problems, lack of
proper information about the local criminal justice, police and legal system. The problem is
manifold and it incorporates issues like dowry and various other types of harassment of married
women in foreign countries, marriages of convenience, concealment of earlier existing marriage
by the husband before marrying an Indian woman. Another very important issue which needs attention
is lack of social security faced by an Indian woman in a foreign country when the marriage is not
working. The situation is worsened by lack of support network of friends and family and monetary
constraints which leaves the deserted wife completely helpless and stranded.
