NEW DELHI, Oct. 1
India has again warned its citizens against joining the Russian armed forces, saying some people have knowingly sought military recruitment for financial benefits while others have been drawn in by unverified overseas job offers.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the government had repeatedly cautioned Indians over the past two years about the risks involved in joining foreign military service and urged jobseekers to verify employment offers before travelling abroad.
The latest warning follows continuing reports of Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian military, including cases in which families say men travelled to Russia expecting civilian employment but subsequently found themselves serving with its armed forces.
“The Government has on several occasions over the past two years underlined the risks and dangers inherent in this course of action and advised Indian citizens from time to time to be cautious while pursuing job opportunities abroad and not get lured by any job offers from unverified individuals,” the ministry said.
The MEA drew a distinction between people who may have been misled over the nature of employment offered to them and those who deliberately sought military service.
It said authorities had encountered several cases in which individuals willingly pursued opportunities to join the Russian armed forces in expectation of financial benefits, while apparently assuming that the Indian government could later secure their discharge.
“It is reiterated that this is a dangerous path and is strongly discouraged by the Government,” the ministry said.
The MEA also disclosed cases in which Indian nationals approached authorities seeking to voluntarily relinquish their Indian citizenship, acquire Russian passports and subsequently enlist in the Russian military.
Foreign nationals are being recruited into the Russian armed forces through non-public entities, including voluntary groups, the ministry said.
“Some have already done so without consulting Indian authorities, having been lured by temporary monetary benefits,” the MEA said. “It is advised that individuals should consider the gravity of such actions and understand the mortal dangers they are exposing themselves to.”
The ministry urged Indian nationals to refrain from taking such steps.
New Delhi said it remains in contact with Moscow over Indians currently serving in the Russian armed forces and is seeking their safety, well-being and early discharge.
The advisory was issued as the families of four men from Telangana sought government intervention after alleging that they had been deceived into joining the Russian military and sent to fight Ukrainian forces.
According to their families, the men believed they were travelling to Russia for civilian employment.
The families approached CM Pravasi Prajavani, a Telangana government grievance-redressal mechanism that assists Indians overseas, seeking help to secure their release and return.
Documents submitted by the families included a recruitment advertisement offering employment in Russia as general and mechanical helpers through a company identified as Pondera Co.
The advertisement offered a monthly salary of $477, described in the recruitment material as approximately ₹42,000, along with free food. It specified 10-hour shifts and 28 compulsory working days each month.
According to the advertisement, applicants holding Emigration Check Required passports were eligible and would not need to pass a Russian-language test.
Prospective workers were promised an offer letter within a week and a visa within 30 to 45 days after completing medical examinations.
The claims by the four Telangana men add to earlier cases involving Indians who travelled to Russia for work but later said they had been recruited into military roles.
The MEA’s latest statement, however, indicates that the circumstances surrounding Indian participation in the Russian armed forces are not uniform.
While some families have alleged deception by recruitment networks offering civilian jobs, the ministry said it has also encountered people who knowingly sought Russian military service for monetary benefits.
The government’s warning therefore addresses both situations: Indians considering voluntary military recruitment and jobseekers who could be vulnerable to misleading offers from unverified agents or organisations.
The MEA did not provide an updated figure for the number of Indian nationals currently serving with Russian forces or awaiting discharge.
Nor did it disclose how many of the cases it has handled involved alleged deception compared with voluntary recruitment.
India has previously raised the issue with Russia and sought the release of its nationals from military service.
The latest advisory makes clear that New Delhi intends to continue pursuing the discharge of Indians already serving while seeking to prevent further recruitment.
For people considering overseas employment, the ministry’s message was more immediate: offers from unverified recruiters should not be accepted without proper checks, particularly when travel to Russia could expose individuals to military recruitment.
For those contemplating enlistment knowingly for financial reasons, the warning was stronger. The government said temporary monetary benefits should be weighed against the potentially fatal consequences of entering an active military conflict and urged Indian citizens not to pursue that course.
