MEA Issues Fresh Warning to Indians Against Joining Russian Army Amid Ongoing Recruitment

The Ministry of External Affairs has issued a renewed warning to Indian citizens against joining the Russian armed forces, as reports continue to emerge of Indians being recruited for Moscow’s military operations in Ukraine. The advisory, issued on Wednesday, follows fresh instances in which Indian nationals were drawn into the Russian military, with the ministry saying some entered willingly while others were allegedly misled about the nature of the work on offer.

In its latest advisory, the ministry said Indians have been recruited through multiple routes, including offers of non-combat jobs, social media outreach and promises of financial gain. It also noted that some individuals appeared to have expected that, if they later wanted to leave military service, the Indian government would intervene to secure their release. The ministry strongly discouraged such thinking and described joining the Russian armed forces as a dangerous decision.

The warning also referred to cases in which Indian nationals allegedly sought to renounce their Indian citizenship, obtain Russian passports and then enlist in the Russian armed forces. According to the ministry, some had already taken such steps without first consulting Indian authorities, apparently attracted by short-term monetary benefits.

The government urged Indians to fully understand the seriousness of such decisions and the risks involved in joining an armed conflict. It also advised citizens looking for work overseas to carry out proper due diligence before accepting any offer, especially those routed through agents who are not registered with the Ministry of External Affairs.

Over the past two and a half years, India has repeatedly cautioned citizens against unverified individuals and recruitment networks that promise lucrative employment in Russia. The ministry said some people who responded to such offers were later made to wear Russian military uniforms and sent into active fighting. In some cases, recruiters reportedly kept the documents of those recruited, making it difficult for them to leave Russia after entering military service.

The matter has been taken up by the Indian government with Russian authorities at different levels, but the latest advisory suggests that recruitment efforts have continued, including through advertisements on social media.

The scale of the problem was outlined by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on August 31 during a media briefing in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. Misri said India had information on 227 Indian nationals who had been recruited into the Russian army by the end of August. Of them, 139 had been discharged from the Russian armed forces, while information was available on the deaths of 51 Indian nationals.

Those figures, the ministry indicated, highlight the dangers faced by Indians who become involved in the Russia-Ukraine war. The latest advisory therefore repeats the government’s earlier warning against accepting unverified employment offers or voluntarily seeking recruitment into the Russian armed forces. It also specifically cautions against attempts to change citizenship or obtain Russian nationality in order to join the Russian military.

New Delhi has continued its efforts to secure the release of Indian nationals who have entered the Russian military, while also asking citizens to steer clear of recruitment channels that may lead them into active combat roles. For Indians seeking work abroad, the government has stressed the need to verify both the credentials of recruiters and the actual nature of the job being offered, particularly where unusually high financial benefits are promised.

With 227 Indian nationals reported recruited and 51 reported dead by the end of August, the fresh advisory reinforces the government’s warning that service in the Russian armed forces carries grave risks and should be avoided by Indian citizens.