Indians continue to be dragged into Ukraine war

DESPERATE Indians keep making a beeline for a Russian visa despite the obvious perils of studying or working in a war zone. Two Indian men have alleged that they were lured to Russia with the offer of jobs in the construction sector and then forcibly recruited into the Russian army. Currently stranded in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, they have claimed that at least 13 other Indians are trapped in similar circumstances. Their ordeal has prompted India to urge its nationals to stay away from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This is not the first such advisory to be issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in the past two-three years, but none of them seems to have made much impact. This shows that unscrupulous travel agents are still actively involved in sending Indians to Russia through fraudulent means. It also reflects poorly on the coordination between New Delhi and Moscow over this malpractice that endangers the lives of Indian citizens.

Ironically, the Russian Embassy in India had said last year that Moscow was no longer recruiting Indians into its army. The assurance had come following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July 2024. Earlier this year, the MEA informed Parliament that 127 Indians had 'joined' the Russian armed forces; of these, the services of 98 had been discontinued, thanks to bilateral efforts. Twelve had been reported missing. The government should make a fresh assessment so that every Indian dragged into the Ukraine war is accounted for and eventually rescued.

The issue had got sidelined due to US President Trump’s tariff tirade against India over its unabashed purchase of Russian oil. Now that it is back in the spotlight, Delhi must ensure that Moscow finally ties up the loose ends. The Modi-Putin bonhomie, clearly visible in Tianjin recently, should help in preventing Indians from becoming soft targets. At the same time, a crackdown is a must to deter erring agents and reckless aspirants.