Russia To Discharge All Indians Serving in Russian Army. With Prime Minister Modi in Moscow for a two-day visit, Russia has agreed to discharge all Indians serving in the Russian Army to fight against Ukraine. Two Indians who were tricked into being recruited into the Russian Army were killed fighting against Ukraine and dozens more have been stuck in the war zone.
Reports say agents tricked nearly two dozen Indians on the pretext of high-paying jobs. The Government of India raised this issue with the Russian authorities in March. Indian officials said vulnerable Indians had signed up for support jobs with the Russian Army. As such action was taken against the agents
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India and Russia Share Close Relations
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated PM Modi on his third term as prime minister of India. Describing Modi as an energetic person who holds India’s interests at heart, Putin said the results are obvious.
India and Russia share a close relationship since the Cold War. Russia has been India’s largest arms supplier and India is a major buyer of Russian oil. According to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air, India’s monthly imports of Russian crude oil increased by 8 percent in May – this was the highest level since July 2023.
Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary of India, highlighted that trade turnover between the two countries in 2023-24 increased significantly, reaching almost $65 billion. He said defense cooperation between the two states is an important segment of the privileged strategic partnership – India and Russia remain in contact.
US Concerned About India-Russia Relationship
Washington has criticized India’s relations with Russia following the Ukraine war and New Delhi’s neutral stance. The Indian government has resisted US’s pressure to oppose Moscow and called for dialogue, peace and cooperation.
The External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in September that India supported the territorial integrity of Ukraine and Russia. He said India repeatedly emphasized the immediate cessation of hostilities and the need to resolve the ongoing conflict through dialogue and diplomacy.
Now the US is keen to see Modi’s public remarks of his Russia visit. A US State Department spokesperson said they have made quite clear their concerns directly with India about New Delhi’s relationship with Russia. The US hopes India would urge Russia to respect the U.N. Charter and respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
