Police have arrested at least four people involved in the scam.
Moscow:
India said on Tuesday that Moscow had agreed to begin discharging its citizens who had been “misled” into serving in the Russian army following talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin.
Here’s a look at the problem and how countries have worked out a solution.
How were Indians tricked into joining the Russian army?
A trafficking network stretching from New Delhi to Tamil Nadu used social media platforms and local agents to lure people to Russia with lucrative jobs or access to what the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) calls “dubious private universities”.
However, when they arrived in Russia, the victims had their passports taken away and were trained for combat missions before being sent to the front.
Police have arrested at least four people involved in the scam.
How many people were attracted?
The government estimates that between 30 and 40 Indian citizens are currently serving in the Russian army.
At least four people were killed in the conflict.
How did India solve the problem?
India has said that every case brought to its attention will be discussed “vigorously” with Russia to ensure an “early release” of the stranded people. Ten Indians have been repatriated so far as part of these efforts.
Russia has not commented on the issue and did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
Have other countries made similar allegations?
Nepal said several of its youths had been illegally recruited in a similar way, with the number of recruitments estimated at up to 200. Since January, the country has also stopped issuing work permits for Russia and Ukraine.
Sri Lanka also said that several of its war veterans had been lured into the war between Russia and Ukraine with false promises. At least 37 of them were wounded and a “significant number” were killed.
While Nepal has an agreement with India and Britain that allows its citizens to serve in their armies, Sri Lankan citizens are not allowed to fight in the armies of other countries.
What kind of relationship exists between India and Russia?
India has had close ties with Russia since the Soviet era and became the largest buyer of Russian oil after 2022, when Europe banned Russian oil imports.
India also refused to condemn the war in Ukraine and instead called for peace through dialogue and diplomacy.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
