India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, informed the Lok Sabha on Friday that 69 Indian nationals are currently serving in the Russian Army along the Russia-Ukraine border. These individuals were allegedly tricked by immigration agents into joining the Russian forces. However, Russian President Vladimir Putin has assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi that these Indian citizens will soon be released and returned home safely.
Indians Misled into Joining the Russian Army
During the Question Hour in Parliament, Congress MP Adoor Prakash and AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi raised concerns about Indians who were allegedly duped into joining the Russian Army. Jaishankar responded that a total of 91 Indian nationals were recruited into the Russian military. Tragically, eight of them have lost their lives, while 14 have been discharged and returned to India with the government’s assistance. The remaining 69 are still waiting to be freed.
Jaishankar emphasized that the Indian government is taking this issue very seriously. He personally discussed the matter multiple times with Russia’s Foreign Minister. Additionally, when Prime Minister Modi visited Moscow last month, he raised the issue with President Putin. Putin assured Modi that any Indian national serving in the Russian Army would be released.
Discrepancies in Recruitment Claims
The Russian authorities claim that these Indian nationals willingly signed contracts to serve in the Russian Army. However, Jaishankar pointed out that there are strong indications that many of these Indians were misled. They were likely told they were being hired for other jobs but were instead forced into military service.
The CBI has filed criminal charges against 19 individuals and entities involved in human trafficking. Four of these traffickers are currently in judicial custody.
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India’s Stand on Russian Oil Imports
Opposition also questioned whether India would stop buying oil from Russia if the country failed to release the Indian nationals. Jaishankar responded that since President Putin has given his word, it is important to hold Russia accountable and not jump to conclusions. The government’s priority is to bring the 69 Indian citizens back home, ensuring that no Indian is forced to fight in the Russian Army.
In a related question, TDP MP MS Reddy asked about the crackdown on immigration agents sending people to West Asia under false pretenses. Jaishankar explained that many cyber-related human trafficking cases are concentrated in states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. The central government has sought cooperation from state governments to address this issue, which is a matter of national concern.
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