Over 50% Of Global Exploitation, Racism Complaints By Indian Students Come From Russia: Govt

Last Updated:February 10, 2026, 22:57 IST

Over half of Indian student complaints of exploitation and racial discrimination abroad in 2025 came from Russia, with Moscow as a hotspot..

A new data from the Ministry of External Affairs shows that over half of all complaints of exploitation and racial discrimination by Indian students globally come from Russia, The Times of India reported.

According to the data, Indian students across 196 countries lodged around 350 complaints of harassment, exploitation and racial discrimination in 2025. Of these, more than 200 originated in Russia, with Moscow emerging as the biggest hotspot.

The number of complaints from Russia has risen sharply over the past three years, from 68 in 2023 to 78 in 2024, surging to 201 in 2025.

Most Indian students in Russia are pursuing medical courses, and hail from states including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Russia remains a popular destination due to lower tuition fees and relatively easier admission procedures.

The issue came into focus following a stabbing incident at the State Medical University in Ufa, in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic, on Saturday. A 15-year-old school student armed with a knife attacked students in a dormitory, injuring four Indian medical students and two police officers.

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The Indian Embassy in Moscow said the four students were “stable and recovering well," and consular officials from Kazan visited them in hospital. The teenager pleaded guilty and has been remanded to two months’ judicial custody.

Meanwhile, during a Rajya Sabha question hour in December last year, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh had stressed that the government gives high priority to the welfare and safety of Indian students abroad.

He had noted that Indian missions regularly contact students, visit educational institutions, and provide support through the MADAD portal, emergency helplines, emails, and social media, to ensure grievances are addressed promptly.

“Complaints related to misleading academic programmes or untoward incidents/experiences faced by Indian students abroad are promptly taken up with the concerned educational institutions and/or with the authorities of the host country for necessary action," Vardhan had noted.

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