RUSSIA PLANS LARGE-SCALE RECRUITMENT OF INDIAN WORKERS AS BILATERAL TIES DEEPEN

October 4, 2026

NEW DELHI — Russia is preparing to recruit around 70,000 skilled Indian workers to address labour shortages in key sectors of its economy, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has informed a parliamentary panel during a briefing on India-Russia relations.

The proposed recruitment drive reflects growing economic cooperation between New Delhi and Moscow, with skilled Indian professionals expected to contribute to sectors facing workforce constraints in Russia. The initiative could create significant overseas employment opportunities for Indian workers with specialised technical and professional expertise.

Jaishankar also briefed the parliamentary committee on the broader strategic and economic partnership between the two countries, covering areas such as trade, energy, defence and bilateral cooperation.

The proposed workforce arrangement comes as India and Russia seek to expand economic engagement and strengthen people-to-people exchanges amid changing geopolitical and global labour market conditions.

The initiative could further deepen bilateral relations while opening new employment avenues for India's skilled workforce, although the recruitment process, sectoral requirements and implementation arrangements remain important aspects of the proposed programme.