Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Friday stated that several Indian nationals are missing abroad, including three in Iran and sixteen in Russia. He added that the Indian government is in touch with the authorities in both countries to locate them.
“3 Indian nationals who had gone to Iran for business purposes, are missing. We are in touch with their families. We have taken up the matter with the Iranian Embassy in Delhi and with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran,” Randhir Jaiswal said.
The MEA, along with the Indian Embassy in Tehran, is actively coordinating with Iranian authorities to expedite search efforts. “MEA and the Embassy of India in Tehran remain in touch with Iranian authorities and have requested their assistance in locating the missing nationals and ensuring their safety,” Jaiswal said.
The MEA spokesperson added that 16 individuals have also gone missing, and the Ministry of External Affairs is in touch with Russian authorities regarding the matter.
“As part of India-US cooperation on migration and mobility, both sides are engaged in a process to deter illegal migration, while also creating more avenues for legal migration from India to the US. We are keen to continuing this cooperation,” Jaiswal said, ANI reported.
He clarified that before any deportation, the Indian government must verify the nationality of the individuals involved and added, “Any talk of numbers at this stage is premature. But I do want to emphasize that cooperation between India and the US is strong and effective in this domain. This will be evident in times to come.”