Daijiworld Media Network – Moscow

Moscow, Sep 7: Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Mogilevsky, has advocated for the inclusion of Hindi at the university level across Russia, stressing that more students should learn the language as India’s global influence grows.

Speaking to news agency TASS, Mogilevsky highlighted that Hindi has become the preferred language of expression for many Indians. “We want more of our students to study Hindi,” he said, adding that young Russians today have more opportunities than ever to pursue the language.

He pointed out that in Moscow alone, institutions such as MGIMO, RSUH, the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Moscow State University, and the Moscow State Linguistic University are seeing rising enrollments. “The number of students enrolled in Hindi is increasing, and the number of groups is two to three times larger,” he said. Beyond Moscow, universities in St. Petersburg and Kazan are also offering Hindi courses.

The move comes as India deepens its engagement with Russia despite mounting global pressure. On August 27, the Trump administration doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian crude. India, which emerged as a key importer of Russian oil since the start of the Ukraine war in 2022, has stood firm on its energy ties with Moscow.

At a summit hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen holding hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signaling stronger alignment with US adversaries. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in August, had described Indo-Russian relations as among the “steadiest” since World War II.

The Kremlin has also confirmed that President Putin will pay an official visit to India in December, further cementing the partnership.