51 Indian nationals killed in Russian armed forces, 139 discharged, says Foreign Secretary Misri

MEA Reveals Toll on Indian Nationals in Russian Armed Forces

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Monday that 227 Indian nationals have been recruited into the Russian army since the start of the war with Ukraine, of whom 51 have died and 139 have been discharged. He provided the figures during a briefing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Kyrgyzstan, as reported by Times Now and The Times of India.

Misri said India and Russia have discussed the issue of Indian citizens joining the Russian armed forces "at various levels on various occasions." "At last count, we had information about 227 Indian nationals who had been recruited into the Russian army," he said, according to The Times of India. "Out of that, we have information that 139 of our nationals have been discharged from the army. And unfortunately, of course, we have information also about 51 people who have perished so far."

Ongoing Diplomatic Efforts

The Foreign Secretary reiterated that India continues to engage with Russia and remains in constant discussions to secure the early release and repatriation of the remaining Indian nationals. "Our embassy in Moscow is monitoring this situation regularly with regard to the release and repatriation of these Indian citizens," Misri said, adding that India is working with Russian authorities to ensure that any cases remaining are discharged at the earliest and the individuals are returned to their families.

PM Modi-Putin Meeting on SCO Sidelines

The announcement came as PM Modi met Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek. During the meeting, Modi urged Putin to move from "endless war to the end of war," according to Times Now. He also said that a peaceful resolution of the conflict is humanity's shared priority.

The meeting also touched on bilateral trade, with India and Russia looking to expand commercial ties. The Times of India reported that an Indian Exporters Forum will be organized alongside the next annual summit in Russia.

Ongoing Monitoring and Repatriation

The Indian Embassy in Moscow is regularly monitoring the situation of Indian nationals in Russian service, according to Misri. He said India is in discussions with the Russian side to ensure that any remaining cases are discharged as soon as possible, so that Indian citizens can be returned to their families.

Misri's remarks were made during a Ministry of External Affairs briefing on PM Modi's visit to Kyrgyzstan, setting the context of high-level diplomatic engagement between the two countries.