Regions with significant populations | |
---|---|
Moscow · St. Petersburg · Astrakhan | |
Languages | |
Russian · Various Indian Languages · English | |
Religion | |
Hinduism • Christianity • Sikhism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
People of Indian Origin |
Russian Indians include Indian expatriates in Russia, as well as Russian citizens of Indian origin or descent.
According to the Indian embassy, there are approximately 14,000 Indians in Russia. In addition to this, there are also about 1500 Afghan nationals of Indian origin living in the country. [1]
In the late eighteenth century, Russian traveller Pallas noted the presence of hundreds of Multani Vaiṣṇava Hindu merchant families in Astrakhan at the mouth of the Volga river. [2]
The Hindustani Samaj is the oldest Indian organization to be set up in Russia, in 1957. [1] The Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Center was opened in 1989 for propagating Indian culture in Russia. Its idea was conceived after the great success of the Festival of India, held in 1988 in the USSR. [3]
In May 2022, two consignments of medicine were sent to Russian soldiers during the invasion of Ukraine, under the initiative of Disha: Russian-Indian friendship society. This society was founded in Moscow by Rameshwar Singh, who is an influential Indian origin journalist and businessman in Moscow. [4]
During the invasion of Ukraine, dozens of Indians were recruited to serve in the Russian Armed Forces. Most of them were deceived by recruiters promising them money and jobs. [5] According to a Russian official, as of February 2024, around 100 Indians had been recruited. [6] Indians were sent to work on the front, with nine of them having been killed as of September 2024. Following a visit in Moscow by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in July 2024 Russia promised to discharge all Indians fighting in its army. As of September, 45 Indians had been released. [5]
A majority of Indians living in Russia are Hindus, with other populations including Christians of Indian origin, Muslims, and Sikhs. Hinduism is practised in Russia, though most ignore it, primarily by followers of the Vaishnava Hindu organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Brahma Kumaris and by itinerant swamis from India. [7] There is an active Tantra Sangha operating in Russia.
India, officially the Republic of India, has full diplomatic relations with 201 states, including Palestine, the Holy See, and Niue. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is the government agency responsible for the conduct of foreign relations of India. With the world's third largest military expenditure, second largest armed force, fifth largest economy by GDP nominal rates and third largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, India is a prominent regional power and a rising superpower.
Jawaharlal Nehru was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat, author and statesman who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was second only to Mahatma Gandhi in leading the Indian nationalist movement in the 1930s and 1940s. Upon India's independence from Britain in 1947, he served as the country's first prime minister for 16 years. Nehru championed parliamentary democracy, secularism, science and technology during the 1950s, powerfully influencing India's arc as a modern nation. In international affairs, he is well-known as one of the Founders of the Non-aligned Movement and, concomitantly, for steering India clear of the two blocs of the Cold War. A coveted author, the books he wrote in prison, such as Letters from a Father to His Daughter (1929), An Autobiography (1936) and The Discovery of India (1946), have been read and deliberated upon around the world.
Events in the year 1952 in the Republic of India.
Greece–India relations are the bilateral relations between India and Greece. Greece has an embassy in New Delhi. India has an embassy in Athens. As of 2023, the relation between the two countries is closer than ever and is considered historical and strategic by both parts.
The Republic of India recognised Ukraine as a sovereign country in December 1991 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and established diplomatic relations in January 1992. The Indian Embassy in Kyiv was opened in May 1992 and Ukraine opened its Mission in New Delhi in February 1993. The Consulate General of India in Odesa functioned from 1962 until its closure in March 1999.
India has enjoyed close bilateral ties with the Russian Federation since the independence of India in 1947. During the Cold War, India and the USSR formed a strong and strategic relationship; this diplomatic unity was further strengthened with both nations’ shared military ideals, as well as their overall economic policies. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia kept the same close ties to India; in international terms, both nations share a special relationship. Russia and India, both, consider their mutual affinity to be a "special and privileged strategic partnership". Their governments support the creation of a multipolar world order in which both nations are "poles".
The Asian Relations Conference was an international conference that took place in New Delhi from 23 March to 2 April, 1947. Organized by the Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), the Conference was hosted by Jawaharlal Nehru, then the Vice-President of the interim Viceroy's Executive Council, and presided by Sarojini Naidu. Its goal was to promote cultural, intellectual and social exchange between Asian countries.
India and Indonesia established diplomatic relations on 16 April 1949. Both countries are neighbours, India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands share a maritime border with Indonesia along the Andaman Sea.
Indo–Polish relations are the bilateral relations between the Republic of Poland and the Republic of India. Historically, relations have generally been friendly, characterised by understanding and cooperation on an international front.
Mexico–India relations, also called Mexican-Indian relations or Indo-Mexican relations, are the diplomatic relations between India and Mexico. Both nations are members of the G-20 major economies and the United Nations.
Nirupama Menon Rao is a retired civil servant of 1973 batch Indian Foreign Service cadre who served as India's Foreign Secretary from 2009 to 2011, as well as being India's Ambassador to the United States, China and Sri Lanka during her career.
The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India, involved in India's global cultural relations, through cultural exchange with other countries and their people. It was founded on 9 April 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of independent India.
India and the Soviet Union had cooperative and friendly relations. During the Cold War (1947–1991), India did not choose sides between the Capitalist Bloc and the Communist Bloc and was a leading country of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Relations ended in 1991 with the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
India–Uganda relations are bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the Republic of Uganda. India and Uganda established diplomatic relations in 1965 and each maintain a High Commission in the other's capital. The Indian High Commission in Kampala has concurrent accreditation to Burundi. Uganda hosts a large Indian community and India–Uganda relations cover a broad range of sectors including political, economic, commercial, cultural and scientific cooperation.
India–Kenya relations are bilateral diplomatic relations between the Republic of India and the Republic of Kenya.
India–Libya relations are bilateral diplomatic relations between India and Libya. India maintains an embassy in Tripoli and Libya has an embassy in New Delhi.
Ethiopia–India relations have existed for almost two millennia. Modern diplomatic relations between India and Ethiopia were established at the level of legations in July 1948, after the independence of India. The relationship was raised to the ambassadorial level in 1952. India maintains an embassy in Addis Ababa and Ethiopia in New Delhi. The two countries have enjoyed close and friendly relations with India supporting Ethiopian developmental efforts while Ethiopia has supported Indian interests such as its claim to a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. India and Ethiopia share a common understanding on such issues as cross-border international terrorism, the need and direction for reform of the United Nations, and the importance of action on climate change.
Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, better known as S. Jaishankar, is an Indian diplomat and politician, who is the thirtieth Minister of External Affairs of the Government of India since 31 May 2019. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has been a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 5 July 2019. He previously served as the Foreign Secretary from January 2015 to January 2018. He is the second diplomat to be appointed India's External Affairs minister, after Natwar Singh.
India–Uzbekistan relations are the international relations that exist between the Republic of India and the Republic of Uzbekistan. India has an embassy in Tashkent; Uzbekistan has an embassy in New Delhi.
D. Bala Venkatesh Varma is an Indian diplomat who served as the Ambassador of India to Russia between 2019 and 2021.