India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) warns citizens against joining the Russian armed forces, calling it a dangerous path fraught with mortal danger, and cautions against fraudulent job agents and trading citizenship for temporary combat wages.
The Government of India has issued a stern advisory to its citizens, reiterating its strong discouragement of Indian nationals joining the Russian armed forces amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. Terming the decision an inherently “dangerous path,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasized that individuals venturing into active combat zones are exposing themselves to severe mortal dangers despite continuous official warnings over the past two years.
In a comprehensive advisory directed at Indians traveling abroad and seeking international employment, the MEA noted with grave concern that reports of Indian citizens enlisting in the Russian armed forces continue to emerge. The advisory stressed that New Delhi has repeatedly cautioned jobseekers against falling prey to dubious recruitment schemes, false promises, and unverified foreign job placements.
Willful Enlistment and citizenship renunciations
A significant point raised in the ministry’s latest statement is the phenomenon of individuals voluntarily seeking out military contracts with Russian forces, driven primarily by lucrative paychecks. The MEA highlighted that several recruits enlisted with an expectation that they could secure handsome monetary benefits on the frontlines and later rely on Indian diplomatic interventions to arrange a safe, expeditious exit.
“We have also come across numerous instances wherein individuals are willingly seeking out offers to join the Russian armed forces with an understanding that they would be able to avail concomitant monetary benefits, and later secure release by approaching the Indian Government,” the ministry stated. “It is reiterated that this is a dangerous path and is strongly discouraged by the Government.”
The government also revealed a disturbing pattern involving the renunciation of Indian nationality. According to the MEA, several individuals have approached authorities seeking to surrender their Indian citizenship to obtain Russian passports, thereby facilitating formal recruitment into combat units. In some cases, citizens completed this process without any prior consultation with Indian diplomatic missions, lured entirely by short-term financial rewards.
Urging citizens to comprehend the irreversible gravity and catastrophic risks of such choices, the ministry urged everyone to refrain from trading their safety and citizenship status for combat deployments.
Crackdown on Unregistered Recruitment Networks
The advisory also shed light on informal, non-public entities—such as voluntary recruitment outfits, mercenary syndicates, and unregulated private contractors—that are actively enlisting foreign nationals to fight alongside Russian troops.
The MEA urged jobseekers to exercise thorough due diligence before signing contracts or accepting international employment offers. It stressed that Indian workers should only engage with recruiting agencies formally registered with the Ministry of External Affairs under the Emigration Act. Unscrupulous middlemen often misrepresent combat-support roles as safe civilian positions, leaving workers trapped on the frontlines once they arrive in conflict zones.
Reiterating earlier warnings, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal previously cautioned the public against illicit employment networks. “Once again, we would like to caution our people against job offers that are fraught with risk and made by unscrupulous individuals and agencies,” Jaiswal stated during a media briefing.
Ongoing Diplomatic Push for Discharges
Despite the strong warning against willful enlistment, New Delhi confirmed that high-level diplomatic channels remain actively engaged with Moscow to secure the welfare and early release of all remaining Indian citizens deployed on the battlefield.
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Substantial diplomatic efforts have yielded results: official data confirms that 139 Indian nationals serving in the Russian military have been discharged and safely repatriated so far. Indian missions in Russia continue to coordinate with local defense authorities to locate, process, and discharge the remaining estimated two dozen Indian nationals still believed to be in service. The government reiterated that while diplomatic efforts will continue unabated, personal vigilance remains the first and most critical defense against exploitation.
