The Bihari MLA in Russia: Meet Abhay Kumar Singh, Who Used Indian Campaign ‘Tadka’ to Win Two Elections for Putin’s United Russia Party

Abhay Kumar Singh, a native of Patna, Bihar, is a “Deputat” (the Russian equivalent of an MLA) in the Kursk city legislature.² He is a member of President Vladimir Putin’s ruling United Russia Party and is currently the first Indian-origin lawmaker to hold elected office in Russia, winning twice in ³2017 and ⁴2022.⁵

🇷🇺 From Loyola High to Russian Politics

Singh’s journey began in ⁶1991 when he left India to study medicine at the Kursk State Medical University.⁷ He briefly returned to Patna to practice medicine but eventually went back to Kursk to start a pharmaceutical business, later expanding into real estate and construction.⁸ He navigated the challenges of being a “non-white foreigner” to become a known business personality in the region.⁹

His political career officially started when he joined the United Russia party in ¹⁰2015.¹

 The Indian ‘Tadka’ in Russian Elections

This is what makes his story truly unique. Russian political culture, he notes, is quite formal; lawmakers generally “do not interact with people.” Singh, however, decided to campaign the way he knew best: with an “Indian political ‘tadka’ (flavour).”¹²

• He introduced grassroots engagement.¹³

• He held public meetings.

• He actively interacted with local people.¹⁴

The result? He won with “record numbers” in both 2017 and 2022. It sounds like he brought the high-touch, hyper-engaged political culture of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh right to the region of Kursk, which, side note, is an area that borders Ukraine.¹⁵

 Pushing for the S-500 System

Singh is also a strong voice for strengthening India-Russia ties, particularly in defence.¹⁶ Just days before Putin’s visit, he publicly praised India’s existing S-¹⁷400 missile systems but urged India to procure the advanced S-500 system.¹⁸

• S-500 Status: The S-¹⁹500 is Russia’s latest technology, capable of intercepting hypersonic missiles at a range of up to ²⁰600{km}.²¹ Russia has generally not exported it yet.

• His Pitch: Singh claimed if Russia decides to supply it to India, India would become the first country to receive it—even before China.²² This highlights his role as a unique bridge between Moscow’s political establishment and New Delhi’s strategic interests.

Finally, he pointed to Russia’s growing openness to Indian skilled and semi-skilled workers, suggesting that the country, due to its workforce challenges, presents a major opportunity for Indians seeking better long-term stay options, especially compared to the West.

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