Overview

• The External Affairs Ministry confirmed that 27 Indian nationals are currently in the Russian Army and requested their immediate release and repatriation.
• New Delhi said it raised the matter with Russian authorities in Moscow and the Russian embassy in Delhi, while staying in close touch with the families.
• Official figures now record more than 150 Indians recruited, with at least 12 dead, 96 discharged, and 16 listed as missing.
• Many of the men reportedly entered Russia on student or business visas and say they were coerced or deceived into joining military units, including those on the frontlines.
• India has pressed the issue repeatedly, including during S. Jaishankar’s recent Moscow visit, even as recruitment reports continued despite Russia’s April 2024 claim to have halted it.