As Western nations tighten their immigration policies, Russia is looking towards India to fill its growing labour shortage. Vinay Kumar, the Indian Ambassador to Russia said that Russian companies are now actively hiring Indians, especially in sectors like machinery and electronics.

“Russia has a manpower requirement and India has skilled workers. Within Russian laws and quotas, more Indians are being welcomed into the workforce,” he told the Russian news agency TASS.

Until now, most Indians working in Russia were employed in construction and textiles but demand is now expanding into technical fields such as engineering, machinery and electronics. According to the Indian Embassy, the Indian population in Russia stands at about 14,000, along with another 1,500 Afghan nationals of Indian origin.

Indian students also make up a significant part of this community. Close to 4,500 students are currently studying in Russian universities, with nearly 90 per cent pursuing medicine. Others are enrolled in courses such as engineering, agriculture, computer science, business and management, and aeronautical design. For many of them, Russia offers affordable education and better opportunities compared to the West.

This rising presence has also increased the workload for consular services. The Embassy is now handling more requests for passport renewals, extensions, birth registrations and lost passport replacements. Ambassador Mr. Kumar noted that the growing community has stretched the Embassy’s resources in recent years.

The development adds a new layer to India-Russia relations which have long been built on defence, energy and trade. With more Indians choosing Russia for work and study, people-to-people connections are becoming an important aspect of the old partnership. Analysts believe this trend will continue as Western countries further restrict immigration and Russia keeps its doors open for Indian talent.