India-Russia Relations

Putin government agrees to send back Indians fighting on behalf of Russia in Ukraine war

Wednesday, July 10, 2024

Russia has promised to send back Indians fighting in its army to their country during the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India's Foreign Ministry has given this information. This announcement was made at the end of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Moscow visit.

During this visit, this issue was raised before President Putin. Delhi had appealed to send the Indians back.

These Indians say that they were recruited in the army in the name of working in units other than combat but later they were sent to the active fighting in Ukraine.

At least four Indians have been killed in the Ukraine war so far.

On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said in a press briefing that Modi 'strongly raised the issue of bringing back those Indians' who were 'misguidedly recruited in the Russian army'.

Vinay Kwatra said that there are around 35-40 Indians in the Russian army, out of which 10 have been brought back. Talks are going on to bring back the rest.

Indians stranded in Russia said that they were lured to join the army in exchange for a good amount of money and a Russian passport.

Most of these people are from poor families, who were offered jobs as helpers in the Russian army.