New Delhi: Thirty-two Indian nationals have died so far while serving with the Russian army on the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine, and efforts are underway to secure the release of 35 others, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.
Recruitment of Indians into the Russian armed forces remains one of the few factors causing tension in relations between New Delhi and Moscow. Indian nationals continue to be lured into service with the Russian military on a number of pretexts, including lucrative salaries, bonuses and promises of citizenship, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
In December 2025, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed Parliament, through a written reply to a question, that 26 Indians had been killed while serving in the Russian Armed Forces and seven were reported missing.
Since then, the people said, the death toll has risen to 32, while the number of missing Indians has risen to 12. According to an official count, there are reports of 214 Indians being recruited into the Russian army, and efforts by authorities in New Delhi and the embassy in Moscow have resulted in the demobilization and release of 135 of them.
The sources said that the Indian side is currently following up on 35 “active cases” of Indians serving in the Russian army to ensure their release.
The sources said that another issue of concern to the Indian side is reports that some Indians who have been recruited as workers in various sectors in Russia, such as cleaners, plumbers and construction workers, are being lured into jobs in the Russian army by agents. The number of Indian workers in Russia has swelled to 100,000 in recent months.
The bodies of several Indians killed while serving with the Russian Army have been returned to the country in recent days. On Sunday, the body of 24-year-old Sachin Khajuria was returned to Akhnoor town in Jammu region, although reports suggested he was murdered sometime last year. The body of Manjinder Singh, who was also killed on the front lines in Ukraine, was returned to his home in RS Pura in February.
The body of Jitik Sharma, 21, from Kaithal in Haryana, was returned from Russia in March. His family said Sharma went to Russia in March 2025 for work. He was later conscripted into the Russian army and died on the front lines in Ukraine.
