New Delhi: India Wednesday issued a travel advisory concerning Russia, against the backdrop of recruitment of Indian nationals to the Russian military despite efforts at the highest levels, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to put a “hard stop” to this practice.
“We are continuing to see reports about Indian nationals recruited into the Russian armed forces. Government has on several occasions over the past two years underlined the risks and dangers inherent in this course of action and advised Indian citizens from time to time to be cautious while pursuing job opportunities abroad and not get lured by any job offers from unverified individuals,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in its travel advisory.
The advisory added: “We have also come across numerous instances wherein individuals are willingly seeking out offers to join the Russian armed forces with an understanding that they would be able to avail concomitant monetary benefits, and later secure release by approaching the Indian Government. It is reiterated that this is a dangerous path and is strongly discouraged by the Government.”
The advisory also said that a number of Indian nationals have been lured into taking up Russian citizenship for “short-term monetary benefits,” and urged against subscribing to such practices as well.
The issue of Indians being recruited or lured to join the Russian armed forces has remained an irritant in ties. India called for a “hard stop” for this practice with Moscow in 2024. Modi raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin during his visit to Moscow in July 2024 for the annual India-Russia summit.
In May this year, the Union government informed India’s Supreme Court that it is aware of more than 200 Indians having been recruited so far into the Russian military. At least 49 were killed in the conflict, while the status of over 20 nationals remain unclear, and are considered as missing.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week at the United Nations General Assembly had said that citizens from 47 countries have fought for Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
The almost half-a-decade long war has seen the frontlines remain largely frozen in eastern Ukraine, while the two sides have intensified air strikes and drone strikes in recent months.
In October 2025, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov had said at ThePrint’s Off the Cuff that since March 2025, all recruitment of Indians to the Russian armed forces had stopped, and the remaining cases were all Indian nationals who had taken up Russian citizenship. At least one Indian national was captured as a prisoner of war by Ukraine last September and remains in custody.
“It has also come to our notice that foreign nationals are being recruited to serve in the Russian armed forces by non-public entities including voluntary groups. Indian nationals are advised to exercise due diligence before accepting job offers from such agents which are not registered with the Ministry of External Affairs,” the MEA’s advisory added.
The issue of continued recruitment of Indians is also being taken up by the Indian Embassy in Moscow with the Russian authorities.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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