India warns citizens against joining Russian Army amid recruitment cases

India’s Ministry of External Affairs has issued a strong warning against travelling to Russia to join the Russian Army, citing the dangers faced by nationals recruited for the Russia-Ukraine warfront. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the government continued to receive reports of Indians signing up despite repeated appeals. The ministry advised citizens to be cautious about overseas employment and avoid offers from unverified individuals.

The advisory said joining the Russian military was a dangerous course and strongly discouraged it. India said it remained engaged with Russian authorities to secure the safety and early discharge of Indians serving there. Officials said some Indians had been attracted by what appeared to be lucrative employment offers but had been misled by recruiting agents.

The ministry also warned that recruitment services were being offered by non-public entities, including voluntary groups, leaving recruits with limited protection. According to the advisory, some nationals willingly joined after believing that monetary benefits would later allow them to seek the Indian government’s help to leave. Others applied for Russian passports before joining and subsequently sought assistance after encountering difficulties.

During a July 2024 visit to Moscow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The supplied material says dozens of recruits were later helped to return under a special arrangement, although more continued to join. Figures submitted by the government to India’s Supreme Court in May recorded at least 217 Indians enlisted in the Russian Army since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Of those, 49 were reported killed, six confirmed missing and 23 untraceable. The Indian Embassy had helped 139 recruits obtain release and return. The warning does not prohibit travel generally, but specifically urges citizens not to pursue military recruitment through Russia or unverified employment channels.