Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his Russia visit had raised the issue of release of Indians serving in the Russian Army, the MEA has acknowledged that over two dozen nationals are still there. The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday (September 26, 2025) confirmed that 27 Indian nationals are currently serving in the Russian military.
This comes even as New Delhi continues diplomatic efforts to secure their release.
In September 2024, the MEA had said that since PM Modi’s visit to Russia, 35 Indian nationals have been released from the Russian Army. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had then stated that around 50 Indian nationals are still with the Russian Army, and New Delhi is working diligently to secure their release.
Indians in Russian Army: What is the latest update?
Sharing a fresh update, MEA spokesperson Jaiswal informed that the government is actively engaged with the families of the Indians involved. “As per our information, 27 Indian nationals are presently serving in the Russian army. We are in close touch with their family members in the matter. We have raised this issue strongly to release our citizens.”
With this, Jaiswal once again urged Indians not to accept any offers to enlist in the Russian forces, warning that such recruitment poses “danger and risk to life.” Two weeks ago, the ministry had reissued a similar advisory amid reports of Indian men being lured into frontline deployments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
How many Indians have been recruited so fare?
Earlier this year, the MEA informed Parliament that 127 Indians had joined the Russian armed forces. Of them, 98 were discharged after sustained diplomatic efforts, including interventions at the highest levels. At the time, 13 Indians were still in service, and 12 were reported missing.
What is Russia’s stance on recruiting Indians?
The Russian Embassy in India said last year that it had stopped recruiting Indian nationals. The announcement followed Prime Minister Modi’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July 2024. The embassy also claimed it was working “in close coordination” with Indian authorities to facilitate the release of Indians already deployed in Ukraine.
With 27 Indians still in active service, New Delhi is pressing Moscow for their release while reinforcing its warning to citizens to avoid such recruitment channels.