Punjab: 12 Indians missing in Russia, MEA tells House
Seechewal raised the matter in the Parliament on Thursday, urging the ministry to take the issue seriously. Despite disruptions in the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, the government is obligated to respond to written questions submitted by MPs.
In his query, Seechewal asked why families of the stranded individuals were not receiving updates and what steps the Indian government is taking to support and repatriate these citizens. He also sought details on travel arrangements, legal aid abroad, and the overall strategy being adopted in such sensitive circumstances. 'The ministry must clarify the obstacles faced in bringing these youths home and outline the actions being taken to overcome them,' he stated.
Responding to the written question, minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh informed the House that 98 have returned to India after serving in the Russian army. Of these, 13 remain in Russian service and 12 others officially listed as missing by Russian authorities.
The minister said that the Indian government has urged Russia to provide regular updates on the missing individuals and to ensure their safety, well-being and early release. 'For those whose service has concluded, the Indian Embassy in Russia is facilitating their return by arranging travel documents and where needed, providing flight tickets,' the minister stated.
He added that the safety and welfare of all Indian nationals abroad remain the Centre's highest priority and every request for assistance is acted upon promptly.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
19 minutes ago
- NDTV
Peace Must Not Be Imposed On Ukraine: UK, Canada Ahead Of US-Russia Talks
London: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney agreed that peace in Ukraine must be built with Kyiv and not imposed upon it, a Downing Street spokesperson said on Monday. The two leaders welcomed continued international diplomacy, led by U.S. President Donald Trump, "to bring peace and agreed that this must be built with Ukraine - not imposed upon it. "Both leaders underscored that Ukraine's future must be one of freedom, sovereignty, and self-determination," the spokesperson said. The statement came as Trump is due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in Alaska.
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
Trump says he'll 'know exactly' within minutes if Ukraine deal is possible
US President Donald Trump said he expects Russian President Vladimir Putin to arrive at their meeting in Alaska on Friday with concrete proposals to end the war in Ukraine. Speaking to reporters on Monday at the White House, Trump said it would only take him "a couple of minutes" to determine whether a deal is possible."At the end of that meeting, probably the first two minutes, I'll know exactly whether or not a deal can be made," Trump said. He added that if Putin's proposals are serious, he will pass them on to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with a recommendation to either make peace or "keep fighting."advertisementTrump described the upcoming meeting as "really a feel-out meeting" and said it could go either way. "It'll be good, but it might be bad," he said. "I may say, lots of luck, keep fighting. Or I may say, we can make a deal."UKRAINE FEARS DEAL WITHOUT ITS CONSENT MAY FAVOR MOSCOW Putin, eager to cement Russia's territorial gains since the February 2022 invasion, is expected to press for a ceasefire on terms Kyiv and its European allies have long resisted. Trump has signalled openness to ideas -- including land swaps -- that could alarm Ukraine, where leaders fear any agreement made without them would tilt toward Moscow's sidestepped repeated questions about whether he would insist on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's participation. "He's been to a lot of meetings" without stopping the war, Trump said, contrasting the wartime leader's record with Putin's decades in the US president left the door open to involving Kyiv later. "The next meeting will be with Zelenskyy and Putin," he said. "Or Putin and Zelenskyy and me." He promised to call both Zelenskyy and European leaders after the Alaska talks to brief them — but stressed, "I'm not going to make a deal. It's not up to me to make a deal.""President Putin invited me to get involved," Trump said, calling it "very respectful" that the Russian leader would come to US soil. "I'd like to see a ceasefire. I'd like to see the best deal that can be made for both parties."Putin is expected to hold firm on keeping occupied territory and blocking Ukraine's NATO membership. Zelenskyy insists Ukraine will not surrender land. On the front lines, fighting grinds on along a 1,000-kilometre front, with little sign of an end in sight.- EndsWith inputs from Associated Press
India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
Has The Fall of The US Dollar Begun? Why India And China's Rise Has Experts Sounding The Alarm
New Delhi: The long-standing dominance of the U.S. dollar is beginning to erode, and emerging economic powers such as India and China are steadily gaining ground, according to American economist Gerald Celente. He warns that the balance of global financial power is shifting, with the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) challenging U.S.-led economic policies and international influence. His remarks come at a time of mounting trade tensions between the United States and BRICS nations. America recently imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods, with a 50% duty being rolled out in two phases, the first 25% already in effect and the remainder set to be implemented from August 27. The Trump administration has justified the measure by citing India's continued purchase of Russian oil. Brazil has also been targeted with similar tariffs, deepening the diplomatic rift. Speaking on a podcast hosted by Cuban-American journalist Rick Sanchez, Celente explained why India is unwilling to bow to U.S. pressure. He said only around 2% of India's GDP is tied to trade with Washington, making New Delhi less vulnerable to economic retaliation. According to him, India is increasingly becoming a self-reliant nation, which produces a large share of its goods domestically, a stage the United States itself once experienced before becoming heavily dependent on global supply chains. The economist also reflected on China's transformation from a nation once lacking advanced industry to a leader in manufacturing and technology, particularly in sectors such as electric vehicles. Western nations, he said, initially helped establish China's industrial base but now face competition from it. Much like India, China is moving towards greater self-sufficiency and reducing its reliance on foreign imports. Celente was critical of what he sees as America's tendency to dictate economic policy to other sovereign nations, arguing that Washington has no legitimate authority to influence the internal economic decisions of independent states. He believes this overreach is contributing to a growing resentment toward U.S. dominance across much of the world. With BRICS now representing over 40% of the global population, the scale of this shift is significant. India and China each have around 1.4 billion citizens, compared to the United States' population of 347 million. This demographic advantage, coupled with increasing trade within the bloc, gives BRICS members leverage in challenging the U.S.-led financial system. Celente predicts a bleak future for the U.S. dollar, describing the current trajectory as 'the death of the dollar'. He attributes part of the decline to U.S. monetary policy decisions, including the 2018 interest rate cuts under President Donald Trump. In his view, the American economy is on a downward slope, and the weakening of the dollar is already well underway. The BRICS nations have been actively working to reduce dependence on the dollar in international trade, seeking to bypass Western-dominated financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. If this trend continues, Celente warns, the dollar's role as the world's primary reserve currency could diminish far sooner than Washington expects.
