Six Ukrainian citizens were detained in India on March 13. According to preliminary information, they are accused of staying in the state of Mizoram without special permission, as well as allegedly illegally crossing the border between India and Myanmar.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine emphasized that Indian authorities are currently conducting investigative actions, but there is no evidence of Ukrainians’ involvement in illegal activities in India or Myanmar as of now.
“At the same time, certain publications, in particular in some Indian and Russian media, contain distorted interpretations of existing facts, are manipulative in nature and make unfounded accusations,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted.
The department noted that for reasons of investigation, the details of the case are not yet disclosed. The Embassy of Ukraine in India facilitated the provision of proper legal assistance and legal protection to the detainees during the trial. Representatives of the Ukrainian Embassy were present during the hearing on March 16, but they were not allowed to communicate with the detainees. Following the hearing, the court extended the term of detention until March 27, 2026.
“Contrary to established international practice, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India has not received an official notification from the competent authorities of India about the detention of Ukrainian citizens. The Ukrainian side insists on the immediate provision of unhindered consular access to the detainees,” the ministry stressed.
The Ukrainian Ambassador to India also met with the country’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sibi George and handed him a note of protest demanding the immediate release of the Ukrainians and access to them. The diplomatic mission continues to contact the Indian authorities to establish all the circumstances and reasons for the detention, and also maintains contact with the relatives of Ukrainian citizens.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs separately drew attention to the fact that there are territories in India with limited access for foreigners, which can only be visited with special permits. At the same time, such zones are often not properly marked on the ground, which is why foreigners may inadvertently violate the established rules.
“Please note that in India there are certain zones with restricted access for foreigners, which can only be visited with special permits. At the same time, proper marking of such territories on the ground is often absent, which creates a risk of unintentional violation of established rules,” the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added.
At the same time, on the morning of March 17, The Insider, citing the National Investigation Agency of India, reported that six Ukrainians and one US citizen were detained on suspicion of allegedly preparing terrorist attacks on the territory of the country.
According to the investigation, they entered India on valid visas, after which they went to the state of Mizoram without special permission, and from there went to Myanmar, where they allegedly contacted armed groups hostile to India. Also, according to law enforcement officials, the detainees were likely able to organize the transportation of several batches of European-made drones to Mizoram.
