Three Indian businessmen who travelled to Iran have gone missing and the Indian government is actively seeking their whereabouts. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the disappearance and has reached out to both the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi and the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran for assistance. The government is also in close contact with the families of the missing individuals, providing them with support and updates on the situation.

In a weekly briefing today, Jaiswal said, "Three Indian nationals who had gone to Iran for business purposes, they are missing. We are in touch with their families. We have taken up the matter with the Iranian Embassy in Delhi and with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran."

In addition, he said, "MEA and the Embassy of India in Tehran remain in touch with Iranian authorities and have requested their assistance in locating the missing nationals and ensuring their safety."

Regarding the missing Indians in Russia, Jaiswal said, "We had said that out of the 18 people, 16 who have gone missing, we are in touch with the Russian authorities to look for them..."

In a recent update, the MEA revealed that 12 Indian nationals lost their lives while fighting for the Russian Army in the Ukraine conflict, and another 16 are still unaccounted for. Out of 126 Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army, the Indian government is now pushing for an "early release" of those still in service, according to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.

On January 17, Mr Jaiswal said, "As of today, there have been 126 cases (of Indian nationals serving in the Russian Army). Of these 126 cases, 96 people have returned to India and have been discharged from the Russian Armed Forces. 18 Indian nationals in the Russian Army remain, and out of them, the whereabouts of 16 individuals are not known. The Russian side has categorised them as missing".

He further said, "We are seeking early release and repatriation of those who remain...12 Indian nationals have died who were serving in the Russian Army."

It's come to light that some Indian nationals were deceived into fighting in Russia's war with Ukraine, lured by promises of high-paying jobs. Last year, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) exposed a massive human trafficking ring that operated across India, preying on Indians with promises of lucrative overseas jobs, only to send them to the Russia-Ukraine war zone allegedly.