00:00These are the nine Indian tourists whose passports were taken and who were held in a cramped locked room without any explanation.
00:08A group of 12 Indian travellers landed in Moscow early on July 8, 2025 with valid visas and documents.
00:15But nine of them, including Amit Tanwar, who documented it all on social media, were suddenly detained by immigration officials.
00:21Their phones, browsing history and YouTube activity were checked for 10-15 minutes.
00:25Tanwar called the treatment inhumane and humiliating. They were made to sit with other detained travellers with no clarity on why they were being held.
00:32Despite offering to book their own return flights, authorities forced them into a staggered deportation via Baku.
00:38Some were held for up to three days. Tanwar also reported facing religious racism during transit.
00:43The group landed in Mumbai on July 10, after three sleepless nights.
00:47Tanwar publicly appealed to PM Modi and the Indian embassy in Moscow for help.
00:51The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has said it's taking up the issue and pushing for better treatment of Indian travellers.
00:56The Russian embassy, meanwhile, denied mistreatment and called the checks routine.
01:00This incident exposes a rift between India's expectation of seamless ties with Russia and the reality of stringent immigration checks.
