Editor's Pick | Putin accepts Modi’s request to release Indian recruits on Russia-Ukraine warfront

In what will be relief for the families of men recruited into the Russian military to serve at the warfront with Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s request at a private dinner on Monday to discharge those wishing to return to India. According to sources privy to the decision, Mr. Putin has given instructions to this effect upon Mr. Modi’s “direct intervention”. Sources told The Hindu on the condition of anonymity “we expect the release to take place within weeks from various places where they are serving or deployed.” The decision, which was not announced formally by the Russian government after the Modi-Putin talks on Tuesday, comes after weeks of diplomatic discussions, and the issue being raised by the Indian Embassy in Moscow as well as by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana last week. “The Prime Minister raised this issue strongly in his talks with President Putin on Monday and Tuesday,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said. Asked specifically if Indians who chose to remain in Russia would be allowed to do so, he said Mr. Modi made it clear that he wanted “all” Indian military recruits to return. According to those aware of the recruitment process and the routes taken by Indian men and agents who bring them, many Indian military recruits have not registered with the Embassy, as they are lured by salaries of approximately ₹2 lakh a month, the promise of Russian residency papers, as well as the possibility to use illegal migrant routes to go further west to Schengen countries in Europe. It has emerged that Moscow is offering a compensation package and citizenship to the families of the deceased. The demand for the discharge of dozens of soldiers who claim they were recruited by the Russian military after being lured by agents on false promises has been increasing pressure on the government for several months. After The Hindu first reported on the demand that was raised by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi as some men from his constituency had reached out, the Ministry of External Affairs accepted that there was a problem among a “few” such cases. However, subsequently it has emerged that there are at least 50 Indian men serving at the war front, of which four have been killed. In Parliament last week, Mr. Owaisi had referred to Indians who were not being prevented by the government to travel to conflict zones in Russia and Israel as “cannon fodder”. The MEA has said that about 9-10 who reached out directly to the Embassy have been returned to India, after the Embassy’s intervention with the Kremlin. The Hindu has learnt that several others had already received their discharge papers, but were awaiting a formal release from the war front by their commanding officers. Russian government sources explained that the recruitment of foreign soldiers is permitted under law and conducted after “thorough mental and physical” checks. Recruits from Nepal, Sri Lanka, China and African countries are all believed to have been trained for a few weeks and deployed similarly to the Indian recruits. The decision by the Russian President is seen as a special gesture made for India given traditional ties, as well as his personal rapport with PM Modi. Meanwhile, India and Russia agreed to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion dollars by 2030, including the use of national currencies to circumvent Western sanctions, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin sat down for the 22nd Annual Summit on Tuesday. This was their first meeting since the war in Ukraine began two years ago, and Mr. Modi made a “pained” plea for an end to civilian deaths and the conflict. In an editorial, The Hindu pointed out that despite traditional ties between the two countries, Russia’s growing dependence on China as a result of the Ukraine war is a concern for India, given tensions on the border. But the Modi-Putin meeting also sends a geopolitical message, with another summit going on in Washington at the same time to celebrate 75 years of NATO with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in attendance. “All eyes during Mr. Modi’s visit [to Moscow] will be on how he uses India’s particular multi-polar, unaligned perch to further the cause of ‘dialogue and diplomacy’ and help hasten an end to the conflict that has divided the world,” the editorial noted. The Hindu’s Editorials ​A new trend: On militancy in Jammu and Kashmir ​Persisting brutality: On Russia and the Ukraine war The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Lewis Hamilton ended his title drought that lasted 945 days by winning the British Grand Prix. Which GP was his previous victory? Abu Dhabi Singapore Montreal Saudi Arabia To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here. [logo] Editor's Pick 10 July 2024 [The Hindu logo] [EP Logo] Editor's Pick 10 July 2024 In the Editor's Pick newsletter, The Hindu explains why a story was important enough to be carried on the front page of today's edition of our newspaper. [View in browser]( [More newsletters]( Putin accepts PM Modi’s request to release Indian recruits on Russia-Ukraine warfront In what will be relief for the families of men recruited into the Russian military to serve at the warfront with Ukraine, Russian President [Vladimir Putin has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s request]( at a private dinner on Monday to discharge those wishing to return to India. According to sources privy to the decision, Mr. Putin has given instructions to this effect upon Mr. Modi’s “direct intervention”. Sources told The Hindu on the condition of anonymity “we expect the release to take place within weeks from various places where they are serving or deployed.” The decision, which was not announced formally by the Russian government after the Modi-Putin talks on Tuesday, comes after weeks of diplomatic discussions, and the issue being raised by the Indian Embassy in Moscow as well as by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during a meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Astana last week. “The Prime Minister raised this issue strongly in his talks with President Putin on Monday and Tuesday,” Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said. Asked specifically if Indians who chose to remain in Russia would be allowed to do so, he said Mr. Modi made it clear that he wanted “all” Indian military recruits to return. According to those aware of the recruitment process and the routes taken by Indian men and agents who bring them, many Indian military recruits have not registered with the Embassy, as they are lured by salaries of approximately ₹2 lakh a month, the promise of Russian residency papers, as well as the possibility to use illegal migrant routes to go further west to Schengen countries in Europe. It has emerged that [Moscow is offering a compensation package and citizenship to the families of the deceased.]( The demand for the discharge of dozens of soldiers who claim they were recruited by the Russian military after being lured by agents on false promises has been increasing pressure on the government for several months. After The Hindu first reported on the demand that was raised by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi as some men from his constituency had reached out, the Ministry of External Affairs accepted that there was a problem among a “few” such cases. However, subsequently it has emerged that there are at least 50 Indian men serving at the war front, of which four have been killed. In Parliament last week, Mr. Owaisi had referred to Indians who were not being prevented by the government to travel to conflict zones in Russia and Israel as “cannon fodder”. The MEA has said that about 9-10 who reached out directly to the Embassy have been returned to India, after the Embassy’s intervention with the Kremlin. The Hindu has learnt that several others had already received their discharge papers, but were awaiting a formal release from the war front by their commanding officers. Russian government sources explained that the recruitment of foreign soldiers is permitted under law and conducted after “thorough mental and physical” checks. Recruits from Nepal, Sri Lanka, China and African countries are all believed to have been trained for a few weeks and deployed similarly to the Indian recruits. The decision by the Russian President is seen as a special gesture made for India given traditional ties, as well as his personal rapport with PM Modi. Meanwhile, India and Russia agreed to[increase bilateral trade to $100 billion dollars by 2030]( including the use of national currencies to circumvent Western sanctions, as [Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin sat down for the 22nd Annual Summit]( on Tuesday. This was their first meeting since the war in Ukraine began two years ago, and Mr. Modi made a “pained” plea for an end to civilian deaths and the conflict. In an editorial, The Hindu pointed out that despite traditional ties between the two countries, Russia’s growing dependence on China as a result of the Ukraine war is a concern for India, given tensions on the border. But the Modi-Putin meeting also sends a geopolitical message, with another summit going on in Washington at the same time to celebrate 75 years of NATO with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in attendance. “All eyes during Mr. Modi’s visit [to Moscow] will be on how he uses India’s particular multi-polar, unaligned perch to further the cause of ‘dialogue and diplomacy’ and help hasten an end to the conflict that has divided the world,” [the editorial noted.]( The Hindu’s Editorials [Arrow][​A new trend: On militancy in Jammu and Kashmir]( [Arrow][​Persisting brutality: On Russia and the Ukraine war]( The Hindu’s Daily Quiz Lewis Hamilton ended his title drought that lasted 945 days by winning the British Grand Prix. Which GP was his previous victory? - Abu Dhabi - Singapore - Montreal - Saudi Arabia To know the answer and to play the full quiz, [click here](. 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