Call the Russian Embassy in NYC. They will gladly tell you all you need to know.

Applying for Russian Visas in India has its own merits, but I would stick to NYC if possible because 1. The number of applicants would be less. 2. It would theoretically be possible to make a call and get someone on the other end who can actually give relevant information pretty quickly 3. Some embassies have police verification that could stretch into weeks, meaning if your friend applies in India she could be stranded there if there are delays.

Hope this helps.