India's strongest warning yet: Do not travel to Russia to join its Army

NEW DELHI: The government on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, strongly discouraged Indian citizens from travelling to Russia to join the Russian Army, warning that those who do so expose themselves to grave and potentially fatal risk.

The caution, issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, is the strongest advisory on the matter so far. It comes amid continuing reports of Indians signing contracts to serve at the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, despite repeated appeals from the government over the past two years.

The Ministry said it has, "on several occasions over the past two years, underlined the risks and dangers inherent in this course of action" and advised citizens to be cautious while pursuing job opportunities abroad and not to be lured by offers from unverified individuals.

"It is reiterated that this is a dangerous path and is strongly discouraged by the government," the advisory said. Officials said the trend has persisted because many in India are drawn to what appear to be attractive job offers, only to be misled by recruiting agents.

The government said it remains engaged with the Russian authorities to ensure the safety and early discharge of all Indians serving in the Russian military.

The issue was raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Moscow in July 2024, when he sought help for Indian recruits who had signed contracts to join the Russian Armed Forces but wished to return home. Officials said that although dozens of recruits have since been released under a special dispensation from Moscow, more continue to enlist, hoping to earn money or migrate.

In particular, the Ministry said that in "numerous instances", Indian nationals had willingly joined the Russian armed forces in the belief that once they had received adequate monetary benefits, they could approach the Indian government to secure their release. In other cases, some who left India had applied for Russian passports in order to join the army, and later approached the Indian Embassy for help after facing hardship.

The government also warned that apart from the Russian military's official recruitment channels, several "non-public entities, including voluntary groups", are offering recruitment services, leaving Indians with few protections once they accept such unofficial offers. "It is advised that individuals should consider the gravity of such actions and understand the mortal dangers they are exposing themselves to," the Ministry said.

In May this year, the government submitted details to the Supreme Court in response to petitions from family members seeking help to trace and repatriate their relatives. According to those submissions, at least 217 Indians had enlisted in the Russian army since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Of these, 49 had been killed in the conflict, six were confirmed missing and 23 others remained untraceable. The Indian Embassy has helped repatriate 139 recruits by securing their release from the Russian Army.

The Ministry advised citizens to exercise caution while pursuing job opportunities abroad, to verify the credentials of recruiters before accepting any offer, and to rely on official channels when seeking work overseas. Indians facing difficulty abroad may approach the nearest Indian mission for assistance.