As recently as November, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs reported identifying 44 Indian nationals serving in the Russian armed forces. However, data from the
I Want to Live project suggests the true number is considerably higher. At least 146 Indian citizens have been confirmed by name as having signed contracts, and at least 22 have been killed in action in Ukraine.
Our review of the records indicates that Russia, working through local recruiters in India, is actively targeting Indian nationals, drawing them into military service despite the Indian government’s efforts to curb such cases. In May 2024, India’s Central Bureau of Investigation arrested four individuals involved in trafficking citizens to fight for the Russian army. The suspects were based across multiple Indian cities and had collaborators in Dubai and Russia.
The issue drew national attention after reports surfaced that young Indians were being misled into joining the Russian military under the pretense of work or study visas. Families in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Telangana said their relatives were pressured or deceived into enlisting as “support staff,” only to be deployed to the front lines.
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