The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in India has officially confirmed that at least 44 Indian nationals are currently part of the Russian army.

This update arrived as MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised India’s urgent calls to Moscow, demanding the earliest release of these individuals and the immediate cessation of such recruitment practices.

Officials stressed that New Delhi has repeatedly communicated with Russian authorities, seeking the safe and prompt return of Indian citizens now serving in uniform. The Indian government has directly warned the public against accepting such military recruitment offers, highlighting significant dangers—including grave risks to life—associated with deployment in an active conflict zone.

Indian authorities continue to engage with both Russian officials and the families of the affected individuals, providing them with updates on efforts to secure their release. Jaiswal reinforced these points, stating that the Indian side is in "regular contact" with Moscow and is maintaining communication with the families involved.

This issue gained renewed urgency on the day when External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar held discussions with Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko in New Delhi. Both diplomats reviewed the bilateral partnership and the wider regional and global context. The episode comes just ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s scheduled visit to India in early December for an annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The trend of Indians being recruited into the Russian military has previously been flagged by Indian authorities. In July, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh revealed in the Rajya Sabha that there had been 127 Indian nationals identified in the Russian armed forces.

Due to persistent diplomatic engagement, 98 of these individuals had their services discontinued. However, 13 still remained, with Russian authorities reporting 12 as missing.

Singh detailed that the Indian government had consistently urged Moscow to provide updates on missing or remaining nationals, assuring that Indian missions abroad treat these safety concerns with utmost priority. The MEA and embassies continued to assist with repatriation, including arranging travel documents and passage for those released from service.

Tragically, the government confirmed in January that 12 Indian nationals had been killed so far while serving in the Russian army during ongoing operations related to the Ukraine conflict. This issue has been further complicated by the existence of organised human-trafficking rackets across India, which were exposed last year by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

These criminal networks lured vulnerable Indians overseas with the promise of lucrative employment, only to send them to the Russia-Ukraine war zone under false pretences.

Indian officials continue to urge all citizens to avoid offers to join foreign armed forces in conflict regions and to remain vigilant against trafficking and recruitment scams. The situation remains a significant point of diplomatic engagement as the annual India-Russia summit approaches.

Based On ANI Report