A total of 202 Indian citizens took part in the conflict in Ukraine. This is stated in a written response by India’s Minister of External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, to the country’s parliament, as reported by The Economic Times with reference to the document.

According to the minister, these individuals were recruited into the Russian armed forces. He said that as a result of coordinated efforts by the Indian government, 119 citizens were discharged early from service. Based on information provided by the Russian side, 26 Indian nationals were killed and seven are listed as missing. Efforts are ongoing to secure the early discharge of another 50 citizens who remain in the Russian army.

The minister also reported that the foreign ministry assisted in the repatriation of the remains of ten deceased Indian citizens and in the cremation of two others. In addition, DNA samples from family members of 18 Indians who are reported to have been killed or gone missing were handed over to Russian authorities in an attempt to identify some of the deceased.

Indian authorities claim that their citizens were drawn into the fighting in Ukraine through job offers or promises of assistance with admission to Russian universities. In March 2024, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation announced that it had uncovered a recruitment network that lured young people using local agents and social media.

In July of the same year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed with Russian President Vladimir Putin the issue of early discharge of Indian citizens who, according to New Delhi, had been misled into joining military service. Following these talks, India’s foreign ministry reported that 45 Indian nationals had been discharged from the Russian army, while another 50 continued to serve.

The Russian Embassy in New Delhi has repeatedly stressed that Russian authorities have never taken part in any public or covert campaigns, including fraudulent schemes, to recruit Indian citizens into military service. The diplomatic mission has also stated that since April 2024, the enlistment of citizens from a number of foreign countries, including India, into the Russian armed forces has been halted.