- Russian companies in machinery and electronics increasingly hire Indian nationals
- Consular workload rises as more Indians take up work opportunities in Russia
- Most Indian workers are in construction, textiles, with growing demand in machinery
Russian companies, especially in the machinery and electronics sectors, are showing growing interest in employing Indian nationals, said Vinay Kumar, India's ambassador to Russia. Speaking to the TASS state news agency, he noted that the workload of consular services is increasing as more and more Indians are taking up work opportunities in Russia.
The remarks came amid an increasing crackdown on immigration in Western nations, including the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
"At a broader level, there is a manpower requirement in Russia, and India has skilled manpower. So at present, within the Russian regulations, framework of Russian regulations, laws and quotas, the companies are hiring Indians," the Indian diplomat said.
"Most of the people who have come are in the construction and textile sectors", but he added that the demand of Indians in the machinery and electronics segments is growing.
The envoy noted that the increasing number of Indian workers in Russia is stretching consular resources.
"When people come and leave, they need consular services to extend passports, childbirth, say for example, and loss of passport and those kinds, basically consular services," he added.
Relations with Russia are a key pillar of India's foreign policy, and Moscow has been a long-standing, time-tested partner of New Delhi.
Growing Indian Community In Russia
Indians are a growing community in Russia, encompassing students, professionals, and workers filling a significant labour deficit. Per the Indian Embassy's data, the size of the Indian Community in Russia is estimated at 14,000. In addition, there are about 1,500 Afghan nationals of Indian origin in Russia.
The data show that there are approximately 4,500 Indian students currently enrolled in medical and technical institutions in Russia. About 90 per cent of them are pursuing medical studies in around 20 universities/institutions spread across the country, while the rest are studying engineering, aeronautical designing, computer science, transport technology, management, agriculture and business/financial management.
