Moscow, Russia on Tuesday accepted India's demand to ensure early release and return home of Indian nationals working in the Russian army as support personnel after Prime Minister Narendra Modi "very strongly" raised the question to President Vladimir Putin.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the Russian side promised early discharge of all Indian citizens from Russian Army service.
"The Prime Minister strongly raised the issue of early discharge of Indian citizens who have been duped into serving in the Russian Army. This was strongly addressed by the Prime Minister and the Russian side promised early discharge of all Indian citizens." , said. .
Modi is known to have raised the issue during his informal talks with Putin over dinner at the Russian leader's dacha on Monday night.
"The prime minister very strongly raised the issue that we should try to get all Indian citizens back to India as soon as possible," Kwatra told a news conference.
He said both sides will work to determine how quickly the Indians can return home.
To a specific question, Kwatra said India anticipated that the number of its citizens serving in the Russian military would be approximately between 35 and 50, of which 10 had already returned.
"We have mentioned in the past that while we do not have a precise indication on the specific numbers, we anticipate that it will be approximately between 35 and 50, of which we have managed to recover 10 of them," he said.
People familiar with the talks said Russia is expected to release Indians from several Russian military units within weeks.
Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the issue of Indian nationals serving in the Russian army remains a matter of "utmost concern" and demanded Moscow take action in this regard.
On June 11, India said that two Indian nationals, who were recruited by the Russian army, had recently been killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, bringing the death toll to four.
Following the death of two Indians, the MEA demanded a "verified cessation" of recruitment of Indian citizens by the Russian army.
In a strongly worded statement, he said India demanded that there be a "verified cessation of any further recruitment of Indian citizens by the Russian military and that such activities would not be in 'consonance with our partnership'."
In March this year, 30-year-old Hyderabad resident Mohammed Asfan succumbed to injuries sustained while serving with Russian troops on the front lines with Ukraine.
In February, Hemal Ashwinbhai Mangua, a 23-year-old resident of Surat in Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian airstrike while serving as a "security aide" in the Donetsk region.
Prime Minister Modi was on a high-profile two-day visit to Russia from Monday to hold the 22nd annual India-Russia summit with President Putin.
Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said the Russian side promised early discharge of all Indian citizens from Russian Army service.
"The Prime Minister strongly raised the issue of early discharge of Indian citizens who have been duped into serving in the Russian Army. This was strongly addressed by the Prime Minister and the Russian side promised early discharge of all Indian citizens." , said. .
Modi is known to have raised the issue during his informal talks with Putin over dinner at the Russian leader's dacha on Monday night.
"The prime minister very strongly raised the issue that we should try to get all Indian citizens back to India as soon as possible," Kwatra told a news conference.
He said both sides will work to determine how quickly the Indians can return home.
To a specific question, Kwatra said India anticipated that the number of its citizens serving in the Russian military would be approximately between 35 and 50, of which 10 had already returned.
"We have mentioned in the past that while we do not have a precise indication on the specific numbers, we anticipate that it will be approximately between 35 and 50, of which we have managed to recover 10 of them," he said.
People familiar with the talks said Russia is expected to release Indians from several Russian military units within weeks.
Last month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the issue of Indian nationals serving in the Russian army remains a matter of "utmost concern" and demanded Moscow take action in this regard.
On June 11, India said that two Indian nationals, who were recruited by the Russian army, had recently been killed in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, bringing the death toll to four.
Following the death of two Indians, the MEA demanded a "verified cessation" of recruitment of Indian citizens by the Russian army.
In a strongly worded statement, he said India demanded that there be a "verified cessation of any further recruitment of Indian citizens by the Russian military and that such activities would not be in 'consonance with our partnership'."
In March this year, 30-year-old Hyderabad resident Mohammed Asfan succumbed to injuries sustained while serving with Russian troops on the front lines with Ukraine.
In February, Hemal Ashwinbhai Mangua, a 23-year-old resident of Surat in Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian airstrike while serving as a "security aide" in the Donetsk region.
Prime Minister Modi was on a high-profile two-day visit to Russia from Monday to hold the 22nd annual India-Russia summit with President Putin.
