18 Indians remain in Russian armed forces, 16 reported as 'missing': Govt
New Delhi, Feb 6 (PTI): Eighteen Indian nationals remain in the Russian armed forces, of whom 16 have been "reported as missing" by the Russian side, the government informed Parliament on Thursday.
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh in a written response to a query in Rajya Sabha also shared the state-wise domicile of the 18 Indians, saying nine of them were from Uttar Pradesh, two each from Punjab and Haryana, and one each from Chandigarh, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir.
In response to another query, Singh said 12 Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces were "reported to have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict."
"Our Missions and Posts accord high priority to the safety, security and well-being of all Indian nationals abroad and take appropriate action, as and when any request for assistance is received," he said.
The government was asked the details of the number of Indian youths still stranded in Russia and serving in their Army, and the kind of steps taken by the MEA and the Indian Embassy in Russia to repatriate them.
"As per available information, 18 Indian nationals remain in the Russian armed forces out of which 16 individuals have been reported as missing by the Russian side," he said.
The Russian authorities have been requested to provide an update on the remaining Indians in the Russian armed forces, and also to ensure their safety, wellbeing and early discharge, he said.
"The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Moscow have engaged with the relevant Russian authorities at various levels on these issues. The Indian Mission/Posts in Russia have earlier assisted Indian nationals in their return to India, following the discontinuation of their service in the Russian armed forces, including through the facilitation of travel documents and providing air tickets wherever required," the Union minister said.
He also shared the state-wise distribution of the 97 Indian nationals whose service in the Russian armed forces has been discontinued.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
