Russia on Wednesday said it has established a mechanism of interaction with India for sending back Indian nationals currently serving in the Russian Army.
Addressing the media here a day after the 22nd India-Russia Annual Summit in Moscow, Russian Charge D’Affaires Roman Babushkin said his country is committed to sending back to India the Indian nationals who were misled into the Russian Army to participate in the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
”We are on the same page with India on this problem. The Russian Army does not need them…there may be 50, 60 or 100 Indians and they don’t really change the situation in the battleground in any way. It’s our common problem,” he said.
Mr Babushkin said these Indians were cheated by agents who are into criminal activities and sent to Russia illegally. ”We are committed to finding a solution to this problem as early as possible,” he added.
The issue was also raised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The Russian leader assured Mr Modi that the Indian nationals in the Russian Army would be discharged.
Mr Babushkin noted that PM Modi’s visit to Moscow was “watched by the whole world,” describing the summit between the two leaders as a significant event between “two independent global powers.” He added that the focus of their talks was on expanding India-Russia trade and economic ties. ”The summit was historic and game-changing considering the geopolitical environment,” he added.
He also stated that a key outcome of the meeting was the decision to establish a bilateral payment system using national currencies, which aims to enhance economic ties. Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a peaceful and stable region, with a focus on cooperation in emerging and futuristic sectors.