NEW DELHI: Balwinder Singh, the father of an Indian youth trapped in the Russian army Gagandeep Singh, expressed hope for the stranded Indians in war-torn Russia following Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Balwinder Singh told ANI that his son, Gagandeep Singh, informed him that the trapped Indians are sent to battlegrounds, armed with guns and grenades, and kept in defensive military fortifications known as ‘bunkers’ in war-hit zones.However, with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Russia, there is now a glimmer of hope for the trapped Indians serving in the Russian army, he said.
Balwinder said, “I have come across several media reports and got to know that Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Russia. Even my son told me over the phone that PM Modi reached Russia and held talks with the government regarding the release of the trapped Indians.”
“My son told me over the phone that the trapped Indians are sent to battlegrounds, having been handed over guns and grenades. They are kept in bunkers. However, with Prime Minister Modi’s visit to the country, there is now a ray of hope for our trapped countrymen in the Russian army”, he added.
According to foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Prime Minister Modi took a firm stance on the issue of Indian nationals being recruited into the Russian army during his meeting with President Putin, and the Russian government has assured an “early discharge” of these Indians from military service.
In April, the CBI uncovered a major human trafficking network operating across India, luring Indian nationals with the promise of lucrative jobs abroad but allegedly sending them to the Russia-Ukraine war zone. The CBI said that these traffickers have been operating as an organized network, using social media channels like YouTube and local contacts and agents to entice Indians with highly paid jobs in Russia.
During his bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, PM Modi highlighted the importance of peace for future generations, saying that there is no solution on the battlefield and that peace talks cannot succeed amid ongoing violence. This marks PM Modi’s first visit to Russia since the outbreak of the war between Moscow and Kyiv in 2022, with India consistently advocating for “peace and diplomacy” to resolve the conflict.
The United States expressed its belief on Tuesday that India can urge Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the “brutal and unprovoked war” with Ukraine.