139 Indians discharged from Russian Army, 51 dead as India presses Moscow

India remains in constant discussions with Russia over Indian nationals recruited into its armed forces, with 139 of the 227 known recruits discharged and 51 reported dead, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday. Misri disclosed the latest figures while briefing reporters in Kyrgyzstan, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.

139 discharged so far

“At last count, we had information about 227 Indian nationals who had been recruited into the Russian army,” Misri said, adding that 139 had been discharged while 51 had “perished so far”. The latest figures leave 37 people outside the discharged and deceased categories, although the Ministry of External Affairs did not specify the status of each of them during Monday's briefing. Misri said the government had repeatedly raised the matter with Russian authorities and continued to pursue cases involving Indian nationals whose discharge and return were pending. “We have been in constant discussions with the Russian side on this issue,” he said, adding that the matter had been taken up “at various levels on various occasions”.

Embassy pursuing cases

India's Embassy in Moscow is closely following the matter and remains engaged with Russian authorities to facilitate the discharge and repatriation of Indian nationals at the earliest, Misri said. The issue emerged after several Indians were recruited by agents for jobs in Russia but subsequently found themselves serving with Russian military units amid the war in Ukraine, with some deployed in combat zones. The government has repeatedly urged Indian citizens to exercise caution while accepting employment offers in Russia and warned them about the risks associated with recruitment for military-related work.