Trafficking is an illegal trade. Human trafficking is carrying out a trade on humans. Humans are trafficked for the purpose of sexual slavery, commercial sexual exploitation, extraction of organs or tissues, forced marriage, forced labour, or domestic servitude. Human trafficking, after drugs and the arms trade, is the world's third largest organised crime.

Human trafficking in India may affect between 20 and 65 million people, with 49% of women and 23% of girls making up the majority of human trafficking cases. Women and girls are trafficked within the country for commercial sexual exploitation and forced marriage, especially in those areas where the sex ratio is highly skewed in favour of men. Indian women are also trafficked to the Middle East for the same purpose. India is also a destination for women and girls from neighbouring countries, smuggled for sexual exploitation.