MOSCOW: Four Indian students were seriously injured in a knife attack in Ufa, Russia, in what comes amid rising tensions following India’s alignment with the US against Russian energy interests, according to reports from the Indian Embassy in Moscow.
The Embassy confirmed the attack on X, stating: “An unfortunate incident of attack has occurred in Ufa. Several persons, including four Indian students, have been injured.” Officials from the Indian Consulate in Kazan were dispatched to Ufa to assist the victims.
Details regarding the attackers and motive remain unclear, but the timing raises concerns of possible backlash linked to India’s recent hawkish stance against Russia in the global energy market.
Since 2025, New Delhi has been actively discouraging Russian oil purchases under US pressure, a policy that has drawn criticism in Moscow. Analysts warn that such policies may have contributed to an increasingly hostile environment for Indian nationals in Russia.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has stressed the safety of Indian students abroad, citing data presented to Parliament this week: from 2018 to 2025, 17 students died in Canada, 9 in the USA, and 3 in Australia due to violent attacks. The government maintains that all violent incidents are immediately reported to Indian Missions/Posts abroad and coordinated with local authorities to ensure investigations and punishment of perpetrators.
Observers note that while India projects concern for its students, its foreign policy choices, particularly in pressuring global allies and targeting Russia economically, may inadvertently endanger its citizens overseas. The Ufa attack has intensified scrutiny of New Delhi’s approach to its diaspora amid growing geopolitical tensions.
