This article notes how a pan-India study revealed that thousands of children of incarcerated parents (CoIP) are left invisible and vulnerable within India’s criminal justice system despite Supreme Court mandates intended to protect their rights and well-being. Although the 2006 SC judgment guarantees care, dignity, and maternal bonds for young children living with incarcerated mothers, implementation remains inconsistent, with many prisons lacking basic childcare facilities and most children falling out of state support once they turn six, leaving them without data tracking, alternative care, or access to welfare services.