Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi walk during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence near Moscow, Russia July 8, 2024.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed to release those who want to return home following a request from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made during a private dinner on Monday. Sources familiar with the matter said that on Mr. Modi’s “direct intervention”, according to reports, Mr. Putin had given instructions for this purpose.
It is not clear whether there will be a public announcement of the order or whether it will be mentioned in the joint statement after weeks of diplomatic talks and the issue being raised by the Indian Embassy here as well as by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting on the sidelines of SCO Summit in Astana last week.
On Tuesday afternoon, PM Narendra Modi is expected to hold formal talks with President Putin and visit an exhibition on nuclear cooperation.
Increasingly putting pressure
The demand for dozens of soldiers claiming they were recruited into Russian military through enticement from agents but took false promises has been increasing pressure on the government for several months now. Asaduddin Owaisi Hyderabad MP first announced this through his constituency where some men had reached out to The Parami News which reported on it first. A ‘few’ cases have been admitted by External Affairs Ministry.
However, recent revelations indicate that there are at least fifty Indians serving alongside them in addition to four fatalities.
Last week in Parliament Mr Owaisi described Indians traveling freely to conflict areas like Russia and Israel as “cannon fodder”. The MEA says that about 9-10 who approached directly towards Embassy have been brought home following its intervention with Kremlin. Before leaving war front for good, several others had even received their discharge papers but were waiting for official charges by their commanding officers.
So far Russia has not commented on this problem but official sources clarified that foreign soldier’s recruitment is legal and is done after “thorough mental and physical” checks. The Chinese, African and South Asian nations recruit soldiers from Nepal, Sri Lanka, and also have similar training for a few weeks followed by deployment just like the Indian soldiers. Similarly, Nepali government has taken it up with Kremlin while also addressing the issue at home in Kathmandu and Moscow.
A meaningful act
The Russian President’s decision is regarded as a special favor to India for traditional relationship as well as personal bond of PM Modi whom he hosted on Monday night at his Dacha on the outskirts of Moscow. Their meeting involved hugging each other before Mr Putin congratulated PM Modi on his third term in office. He later drove him in a golf cart around his estate, took him around ‘his life’ which included showing him various places in the compound.
Concerns expressed by the US have been dismissed by India
While President Joseph Biden is hosting NATO leaders and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a special summit on Tuesday, the optics of the visit has raised eyebrows in Washington. When asked Mathew Miller, State Department spokesperson said that they had “concerns” about India’s relationship with Russia.
Government sources have however denied that claim on the issue from the US
Official sources said, “India has always called for respecting the UN charter, including territorial integrity and sovereignty.” Mr. Modi is expected to emphasize to President Putin that there is “no solution on the battlefield,” as reported by The and he will say that this conflict can only be solved through dialogue and diplomacy.
