India Demands Release of Nationals From Russian Military Amidst Forced Recruitment Claims

India Demands Release of Nationals From Russian Military Amidst Forced Recruitment Claims

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently claimed that the Russian Defense Ministry is recruiting nearly 60,000 “volunteers” monthly, which he stated is approximately twice the number of Ukrainians being forcibly conscripted each month.

RMN News War Desk
September 12, 2025

India has formally demanded that Russia cease the recruitment of Indian nationals into its military and ensure the release of those currently serving, following recent reports of fresh recruitment. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed it has seen reports about Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian army and has cautioned its citizens against taking offers to join due to the “inherent risks and dangers” involved.

These official demands come as Punjab Congress leader Pargat Singh highlighted on September 11 the plight of Indian nationals, particularly from north India, who he claims have been subjected to “forcible recruitment” into the Russian Army for the ongoing conflict against Ukraine. Singh stated that 126 youths from north India are still trapped in the Russian army, with 15 of them missing. He further alleged that in July 2025, 15 Punjabi youths were taken to Russia under false job promises, resulting in five deaths, three disappearances, and the forcible conscription of seven by August of that year.

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Singh has strongly criticized both the Centre and the Punjab government for what he terms an “alarming indifference,” which he claims has enabled traffickers and agents to conduct “human smuggling on a grave scale”. He specifically accused the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Moscow of a “breach of duty and an intolerable dereliction of responsibility” for their continued inaction, as Indian youths are reportedly dying on foreign battlefields without family support or adequate investigation.

According to a Hindustan Times report of September 12, among the affected families is that of Jagdeep Kumar from Goraya, whose younger brother Mandeep Kumar went missing in Russia after a travel agent allegedly made him join the Russian army. The family last had contact with him in March 2024. Parminder Kaur from Amritsar, whose husband Tejpal Singh was killed in the war between Russia and Ukraine, was also present with Pargat Singh during his address. Singh emphasized the “immense psychological and financial distress” suffered by these families.

The Congress leader has called for direct diplomatic engagement with Russian authorities at the highest level to secure the release and repatriation of all Indian nationals recruited into the army. Additionally, he demanded “immediate legal proceedings under anti-human trafficking statutes against all agents and those complicit in this organized crime”. Singh also sought expedited compensation and ongoing support for families who have lost loved ones or have missing relatives. To prevent future exploitation, he proposed the formation of a joint task force comprising the Centre and the Punjab government.

In a broader context, Russian President Vladimir Putin recently claimed that the Russian Defense Ministry is recruiting nearly 60,000 “volunteers” monthly, which he stated is approximately twice the number of Ukrainians being forcibly conscripted each month. This statement was made during a Kremlin meeting on economic development.