India has asked Moscow to immediately release 44 of its nationals serving in the Russian Army and to stop recruiting Indians for the war in Ukraine.
India has renewed calls for Russia to release 44 Indian nationals currently serving in its military, according to The Hindu reporting. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the number of Indians recruited into the Russian Army has grown from 27 in September to 44 due to recent enlistments.
“In the last few months, we have been informed of several Indian nationals who have been recruited in the Russian army,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during his weekly briefing. He added that India had “urged Russian authorities to release the Indians at the earliest and also to put an end to this practice.”
Jaiswal confirmed that New Delhi is in touch with both Russian officials and the families of those affected. Reports indicate some Indians on student and business visas were coerced into joining military units deployed in Ukraine.
According to official data, around 170 Indians have been recruited so far, with 96 discharged, 16 missing, and 12 confirmed dead. Jaiswal again cautioned citizens against such offers, calling them “fraught with danger to life.”