India Warns Citizens Against Giving Up Passports To Join Russian Army

India's Foreign ministry says some are enlisting deliberately, expecting to take the pay and then be rescued by the Indian government

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India's foreign ministry has issued a fresh advisory warning citizens against joining the Russian armed forces, saying some are now doing so deliberately and a number have renounced their Indian citizenship to enlist.

The ministry said on Wednesday it continues to see reports of Indian nationals being recruited, more than two years after it first warned of the dangers.

Two patterns in the advisory are new. The ministry said it had come across numerous instances of people willingly seeking out offers to join the Russian military, on the understanding that they could collect the money that comes with it and later secure their release by approaching the Indian government. It called this a dangerous path and said it was strongly discouraged.

It also said numerous individuals had approached Indian authorities asking to give up their Indian citizenship in order to obtain a Russian passport and then enlist. Some, it said, had already done so without consulting Indian officials, lured by temporary monetary benefits. Those considering it should weigh the gravity of the step and understand the mortal dangers involved, the ministry said.

India does not permit dual citizenship. A person who acquires the citizenship of another country ceases to be an Indian citizen, which removes any claim to consular protection from New Delhi.

The ministry added that foreign nationals were being recruited into the Russian forces by non-public entities, including volunteer groups, and advised Indians to check whether any agent offering work abroad is registered with the ministry.

The first cases to reach public attention in 2024 involved men who said they had been deceived. They had been offered work as helpers or security staff through recruitment agents, travelled to Russia, and found themselves sent to the front. India said it had uncovered a human trafficking network luring young men with job offers.

The advisory issued on Wednesday said the government remains continuously engaged with Moscow to ensure the safety, wellbeing and early discharge of all Indian nationals still in the Russian armed forces.