ArdorComm Media News Network
August 26, 2025
Russian industries are increasingly turning to India to fill gaps in their workforce. According to India’s Ambassador to Russia, Vinay Kumar, companies in machinery and electronics are showing strong interest in recruiting Indian workers.
“At a broader level, there is a manpower requirement in Russia and India has a skilled workforce. Within the framework of Russian regulations, laws, and quotas, companies are hiring Indians,” Kumar told TASS. While most Indians currently employed in Russia work in construction and textiles, the demand in machinery and electronics is growing.
The influx of Indian workers is putting additional pressure on consular services. Kumar highlighted the growing need for assistance with passports, births, and other essential documentation. To manage the workload, India is opening a new Consulate General in Yekaterinburg.
Andrey Besedin, head of the Ural Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said, “By the end of the year, around 1 million specialists from India will come to Russia, including to the Sverdlovsk region.” The region, home to heavy industries such as Uralmash and the T-90 tank manufacturer Ural Wagon Zavod, is struggling with labour shortages as many local workers are deployed in the Ukraine conflict and younger generations shy away from factory jobs.
Indian workers first began arriving in Russian regions in 2024, starting with Kaliningrad’s Za Rodinu fish processing complex. Russia’s Labour Ministry projects a workforce deficit of 3.1 million by 2030 and plans to raise the quota for foreign skilled workers by 1.5 times in 2025, allowing 0.23 million hires.
Besedin also mentioned Russia’s consideration of labour from Sri Lanka and North Korea, though the process is more complicated. Hiring Indians, however, is seen as a strategic move to sustain industrial output and address long-term workforce gaps in critical sectors.
Source: Economic Times