Russia is turning to Indian workers to met the growing labour shortage across key industries. In an interview to Russian news agency, TASS, Vinay Kumar, India’s envoy to Russia, outlined how demand for Indian manpower is increasing in sectors such as machinery and electronics, in addition to the already established roles in construction and textiles.
The rising demand has also added to the workload of Indian consular services in Russia. As more citizens arrive for employment, consular offices are dealing with a surge in routine documentation, including passport renewals and family-related services.
Russia is expected to bring in as many as one million foreign workers by the end of 2025 to meet industrial requirements, with a significant proportion likely to come from India. The Sverdlovsk region, a hub for heavy industries and defence production, is among the key destinations where Indian specialists are expected to be employed. Factories in this area are under pressure to increase production, but demographic challenges and workforce deployment in the ongoing Ukraine conflict have left many roles vacant.
Indian workers had already begun arriving in Russian industries in 2024. They were initially recruited by enterprises such as the Kaliningrad-based fish- processing complex, ‘Za Rodinu’, to offset labour shortages. With the Russian Labour Ministry predicting a shortfall of 3.1 million workers by 2030, the government has proposed expanding quotas for qualified foreign specialists from 2025 onwards.
The partnership is seen as mutually beneficial, with India supplying skilled manpower and Russia meeting its urgent industrial labour needs. Growing participation of Indians in Russia’s workforce signals a deeper economic link between the two countries beyond traditional areas of energy and defence.
