PM Modi likely to address issue of Indians caught in Russia-Ukraine war zone during Moscow visit: Secretary Kwatra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to take up the issue of Indian nationals captured in the Russia-Ukraine war zone during his visit to Moscow on July 8-9, 2024, External Affairs Minister Vinay Kwatra said on Friday (July 5, 2024).

In a special press conference, Foreign Minister Kwatra said that Prime Minister Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin would hold “limited talks” followed by delegation-level discussions as part of the 22nd annual India-Russia summit on July 9, 2024.

They will review the entire multifaceted ties between the two countries; the 21st India-Russia summit was held in 2021.

“The issue of early release of Indian nationals who were deceived into joining the Russian army service is also likely to figure in the discussions,” he added, while giving an overview of the agenda of talks at the upcoming summit.

Responding to a question on the issue, Foreign Minister Kwatra said the number of these Indian nationals was estimated at between 30 and 45; 10 of them had already been brought back to India.

“Whenever we received information that Indian nationals were misled to work in the Russian Army, we raised the issue strongly with the Russian side,” he said. The issue was taken up through diplomatic and political channels and all efforts were made to ensure their early return, he added.

“Strong action has been taken against those in India who have engaged in such recruitment,” he said.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had also raised the issue earlier this week. During a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the SCO summit on July 3, 2024, he expressed grave concern over the Indian nationals currently in the war zone and urged for their safe and early return.

“I am pleased to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Astana today. We had a wide-ranging conversation on our bilateral partnership and contemporary issues. We noted the progress made in many areas since our last meeting in December 2023.

We expressed our deep concern about the Indian nationals currently in the war zone. We urged that they be allowed to return home safely and at the earliest.

“We also discussed the global strategic landscape and exchanged assessments and views,” he posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Last month, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that two Indian nationals recruited by the Russian military had been killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Reacting sharply to the development, India called for a “verified halt” to the recruitment of Indian nationals by the Russian military and also suggested that such acts could impact bilateral relations.

“We regret to state that two Indian nationals who were recruited by the Russian military have recently been killed in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine,” the MEA said in a statement issued on June 11, 2024. The MEA stressed that it, along with the Indian Embassy in Moscow, had “strongly raised the issue” with the Russian Ambassador in New Delhi and Russian authorities in Moscow respectively, for the early release and return of all Indian nationals serving in the Russian military.

“India has also demanded that the Russian military stop any further recruitment of our nationals. Such activities would not be in harmony with our partnership,” the MEA said.