Indians giving up citizenship to join Russian army? Dangerous path, warns MEA

The Ministry of External Affiars said Indians are being lured by unverified job offers and monetary benefits as the government continues efforts to secure the release and repatriation of those serving in Russia.

On Wednesday, the Indian government issued a fresh advisory to its nationals travelling to Russia, warning them against joining the Russian armed forces and cautioning that doing so could expose them to “mortal dangers”.

The advisory comes amid continued reports of Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian military. The MEA said some individuals have willingly sought out offers to join the Russian armed forces in the hope of securing monetary benefits and later obtaining their release with the help of the Indian government.

The government has repeatedly warned Indians over the past two years about the risks involved and advised them to exercise caution while pursuing job opportunities in Russia, particularly against offers from unverified individuals.

“It is reiterated that this is a dangerous path and is strongly discouraged by the Government,” the MEA said.

The ministry also flagged instances of Indian nationals voluntarily giving up their citizenship, obtaining Russian passports and subsequently joining the Russian armed forces.

“Some have already done so without consulting Indian authorities, having been lured by temporary monetary benefits,” the MEA said, urging individuals to understand the gravity of such actions and the dangers they expose themselves to.

The government further cautioned Indians against accepting job offers from non-public entities, including voluntary groups, that are not registered with the MEA.227 INDIANS RECRUITED INTO INDIAN ARMY

The latest advisory comes as the government continues efforts to secure the release and repatriation of Indians serving in the Russian armed forces.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, speaking on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in August, said India had information about 227 Indian nationals who had been recruited into the Russian army.

“Out of that number, we have information that 139 of our nationals have been discharged. Unfortunately, we also have information regarding 51 individuals who have perished so far,” Misri said.

He said the issue of Indians recruited into the Russian armed forces had been discussed between India and Russia at various levels on multiple occasions.

“Our embassy in Moscow is regularly monitoring this situation regarding the release and repatriation of these Indian citizens,” Misri said, adding that India remained in active discussions with Russia to ensure that the remaining cases were discharged at the earliest.

“This remains an issue on which we are in constant, ongoing discussions with the Russian side,” he said.

The MEA's latest advisory reiterated that the Indian government remains continuously engaged with Russia to ensure the safety, well-being and early discharge of all Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces.- Ends