India Secures Release of Captive Soldiers from Russia’s Armed Forces
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have escalated, leading to a major armed struggle. Russian forces have been detaining and forcibly conscripting Ukrainian citizens to fight for Russia. However, it has also been revealed that Indian students and people have been caught up in the conflict. India intervened on behalf of its citizens, negotiating with the Russian government to release captive Indian nationals from its navy. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has stated that it opposes forced conscription of any Indian citizen and has made its stance clear to Russia. India has initiated a large evacuation mission, Operation Ganga, to fly Indian residents stranded in Ukraine back to India. The Indian government is also evacuating last-born Indian nationals caught in war-torn parts of Ukraine. India’s priority is protecting the lives of its citizens, and it is working on evacuating other last-born Indian nationals.