diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/RoutingNodes.java b/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/RoutingNodes.java
index 938a603c459c9..27056559d3ddf 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/RoutingNodes.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/RoutingNodes.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 import org.opensearch.common.Randomness;
 import org.opensearch.common.annotation.PublicApi;
 import org.opensearch.common.collect.Tuple;
+import org.opensearch.common.settings.ClusterSettings;
 import org.opensearch.core.Assertions;
 import org.opensearch.core.index.Index;
 import org.opensearch.core.index.shard.ShardId;
@@ -61,12 +62,15 @@
 import java.util.NoSuchElementException;
 import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Queue;
+import java.util.Random;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.function.Function;
 import java.util.function.Predicate;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
+import static org.opensearch.node.remotestore.RemoteStoreNodeService.isMigratingToRemoteStore;
+
 /**
  * {@link RoutingNodes} represents a copy the routing information contained in the {@link ClusterState cluster state}.
  * It can be either initialized as mutable or immutable (see {@link #RoutingNodes(ClusterState, boolean)}), allowing
@@ -418,6 +422,29 @@ public ShardRouting activeReplicaWithOldestVersion(ShardId shardId) {
             .orElse(null);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Returns one active replica shard on a remote node for the given shard id or <code>null</code> if
+     * no such replica is found.
+     * <p>
+     * Since we aim to continue moving forward during remote store migration, replicas already migrated to remote nodes
+     * are preferred for primary promotion
+     */
+    public ShardRouting activeReplicaOnRemoteNode(ShardId shardId) {
+        List<ShardRouting> replicaShardsOnRemote = assignedShards(shardId).stream()
+            .filter(shr -> !shr.primary() && shr.active())
+            .filter((shr) -> {
+                RoutingNode nd = node(shr.currentNodeId());
+                return (nd != null && nd.node().isRemoteStoreNode());
+            })
+            .collect(Collectors.toList());
+        ShardRouting replicaShard = null;
+        if (replicaShardsOnRemote.isEmpty() == false) {
+            Random rand = Randomness.get();
+            replicaShard = replicaShardsOnRemote.get(rand.nextInt(replicaShardsOnRemote.size()));
+        }
+        return replicaShard;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Returns <code>true</code> iff all replicas are active for the given shard routing. Otherwise <code>false</code>
      */
@@ -735,11 +762,17 @@ private void unassignPrimaryAndPromoteActiveReplicaIfExists(
         RoutingChangesObserver routingChangesObserver
     ) {
         assert failedShard.primary();
-        ShardRouting activeReplica;
-        if (metadata.isSegmentReplicationEnabled(failedShard.getIndexName())) {
-            activeReplica = activeReplicaWithOldestVersion(failedShard.shardId());
-        } else {
-            activeReplica = activeReplicaWithHighestVersion(failedShard.shardId());
+        ShardRouting activeReplica = null;
+        if (isMigratingToRemoteStore(new ClusterSettings(metadata.settings(), ClusterSettings.BUILT_IN_CLUSTER_SETTINGS))) {
+            // we might not find any replica on remote node
+            activeReplica = activeReplicaOnRemoteNode(failedShard.shardId());
+        }
+        if (activeReplica == null) {
+            if (metadata.isSegmentReplicationEnabled(failedShard.getIndexName())) {
+                activeReplica = activeReplicaWithOldestVersion(failedShard.shardId());
+            } else {
+                activeReplica = activeReplicaWithHighestVersion(failedShard.shardId());
+            }
         }
         if (activeReplica == null) {
             moveToUnassigned(failedShard, unassignedInfo);
diff --git a/server/src/test/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/allocation/FailedShardsRoutingTests.java b/server/src/test/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/allocation/FailedShardsRoutingTests.java
index db4cedbbbe7b5..04e37e7d958d0 100644
--- a/server/src/test/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/allocation/FailedShardsRoutingTests.java
+++ b/server/src/test/java/org/opensearch/cluster/routing/allocation/FailedShardsRoutingTests.java
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 import org.opensearch.cluster.metadata.IndexMetadata;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.metadata.Metadata;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNode;
+import org.opensearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodeRole;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.node.DiscoveryNodes;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.routing.RoutingNodes;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.routing.RoutingTable;
@@ -47,13 +48,18 @@
 import org.opensearch.cluster.routing.allocation.command.AllocationCommands;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.routing.allocation.command.MoveAllocationCommand;
 import org.opensearch.cluster.routing.allocation.decider.ClusterRebalanceAllocationDecider;
+import org.opensearch.common.UUIDs;
 import org.opensearch.common.settings.Settings;
+import org.opensearch.common.util.FeatureFlags;
 import org.opensearch.core.index.shard.ShardId;
 import org.opensearch.indices.replication.common.ReplicationType;
+import org.opensearch.node.remotestore.RemoteStoreNodeService;
 import org.opensearch.test.VersionUtils;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.HashSet;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import static org.opensearch.cluster.ClusterName.CLUSTER_NAME_SETTING;
@@ -61,6 +67,10 @@
 import static org.opensearch.cluster.routing.ShardRoutingState.RELOCATING;
 import static org.opensearch.cluster.routing.ShardRoutingState.STARTED;
 import static org.opensearch.cluster.routing.ShardRoutingState.UNASSIGNED;
+import static org.opensearch.common.util.FeatureFlags.REMOTE_STORE_MIGRATION_EXPERIMENTAL;
+import static org.opensearch.node.remotestore.RemoteStoreNodeAttribute.REMOTE_STORE_CLUSTER_STATE_REPOSITORY_NAME_ATTRIBUTE_KEY;
+import static org.opensearch.node.remotestore.RemoteStoreNodeService.MIGRATION_DIRECTION_SETTING;
+import static org.opensearch.node.remotestore.RemoteStoreNodeService.REMOTE_STORE_COMPATIBILITY_MODE_SETTING;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.anyOf;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.equalTo;
 import static org.hamcrest.Matchers.lessThan;
@@ -812,4 +822,134 @@ private void testReplicaIsPromoted(boolean isSegmentReplicationEnabled) {
             }
         }
     }
+
+    public void testPreferReplicaOnRemoteNodeForPrimaryPromotion() {
+        FeatureFlags.initializeFeatureFlags(Settings.builder().put(REMOTE_STORE_MIGRATION_EXPERIMENTAL, "true").build());
+        AllocationService allocation = createAllocationService(Settings.builder().build());
+
+        // segment replication enabled
+        Settings.Builder settingsBuilder = settings(Version.CURRENT).put(IndexMetadata.SETTING_REPLICATION_TYPE, ReplicationType.SEGMENT);
+
+        // remote store migration metadata settings
+        Metadata metadata = Metadata.builder()
+            .put(IndexMetadata.builder("test").settings(settingsBuilder).numberOfShards(1).numberOfReplicas(4))
+            .persistentSettings(
+                Settings.builder()
+                    .put(REMOTE_STORE_COMPATIBILITY_MODE_SETTING.getKey(), RemoteStoreNodeService.CompatibilityMode.MIXED.mode)
+                    .put(MIGRATION_DIRECTION_SETTING.getKey(), RemoteStoreNodeService.Direction.REMOTE_STORE.direction)
+                    .build()
+            )
+            .build();
+
+        RoutingTable initialRoutingTable = RoutingTable.builder().addAsNew(metadata.index("test")).build();
+
+        ClusterState clusterState = ClusterState.builder(CLUSTER_NAME_SETTING.getDefault(Settings.EMPTY))
+            .metadata(metadata)
+            .routingTable(initialRoutingTable)
+            .build();
+
+        ShardId shardId = new ShardId(metadata.index("test").getIndex(), 0);
+
+        // add a remote node and start primary shard
+        Map<String, String> remoteStoreNodeAttributes = Map.of(
+            REMOTE_STORE_CLUSTER_STATE_REPOSITORY_NAME_ATTRIBUTE_KEY,
+            "REMOTE_STORE_CLUSTER_STATE_REPOSITORY_NAME_ATTRIBUTE_VALUE"
+        );
+        DiscoveryNode remoteNode1 = new DiscoveryNode(
+            UUIDs.base64UUID(),
+            buildNewFakeTransportAddress(),
+            remoteStoreNodeAttributes,
+            DiscoveryNodeRole.BUILT_IN_ROLES,
+            Version.CURRENT
+        );
+        clusterState = ClusterState.builder(clusterState).nodes(DiscoveryNodes.builder().add(remoteNode1)).build();
+        clusterState = ClusterState.builder(clusterState).routingTable(allocation.reroute(clusterState, "reroute").routingTable()).build();
+        assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(INITIALIZING).size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(UNASSIGNED).size(), equalTo(4));
+
+        clusterState = startInitializingShardsAndReroute(allocation, clusterState);
+        assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(STARTED).size(), equalTo(1));
+        assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(UNASSIGNED).size(), equalTo(4));
+
+        // add remote and non-remote nodes and start replica shards
+        DiscoveryNode remoteNode2 = new DiscoveryNode(
+            UUIDs.base64UUID(),
+            buildNewFakeTransportAddress(),
+            remoteStoreNodeAttributes,
+            DiscoveryNodeRole.BUILT_IN_ROLES,
+            Version.CURRENT
+        );
+        DiscoveryNode remoteNode3 = new DiscoveryNode(
+            UUIDs.base64UUID(),
+            buildNewFakeTransportAddress(),
+            remoteStoreNodeAttributes,
+            DiscoveryNodeRole.BUILT_IN_ROLES,
+            Version.CURRENT
+        );
+        DiscoveryNode nonRemoteNode1 = new DiscoveryNode(UUIDs.base64UUID(), buildNewFakeTransportAddress(), Version.CURRENT);
+        DiscoveryNode nonRemoteNode2 = new DiscoveryNode(UUIDs.base64UUID(), buildNewFakeTransportAddress(), Version.CURRENT);
+        List<DiscoveryNode> replicaShardNodes = List.of(remoteNode2, remoteNode3, nonRemoteNode1, nonRemoteNode2);
+
+        for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+            clusterState = ClusterState.builder(clusterState)
+                .nodes(DiscoveryNodes.builder(clusterState.nodes()).add(replicaShardNodes.get(i)))
+                .build();
+
+            clusterState = allocation.reroute(clusterState, "reroute");
+            assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(STARTED).size(), equalTo(1 + i));
+            assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(INITIALIZING).size(), equalTo(1));
+            assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(UNASSIGNED).size(), equalTo(4 - (i + 1)));
+
+            clusterState = startInitializingShardsAndReroute(allocation, clusterState);
+            assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(STARTED).size(), equalTo(1 + (i + 1)));
+            assertThat(clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(UNASSIGNED).size(), equalTo(4 - (i + 1)));
+        }
+
+        // fail primary shard
+        ShardRouting primaryShard0 = clusterState.routingTable().index("test").shard(0).primaryShard();
+        ClusterState newState = allocation.applyFailedShard(clusterState, primaryShard0, randomBoolean());
+        assertNotEquals(clusterState, newState);
+        clusterState = newState;
+
+        // verify that promoted replica exists on a remote node
+        assertEquals(4, clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(STARTED).size());
+        ShardRouting primaryShardRouting1 = clusterState.routingTable().index("test").shard(0).primaryShard();
+        assertNotEquals(primaryShard0, primaryShardRouting1);
+        assertTrue(
+            primaryShardRouting1.currentNodeId().equals(remoteNode2.getId())
+                || primaryShardRouting1.currentNodeId().equals(remoteNode3.getId())
+        );
+
+        // fail primary shard again
+        newState = allocation.applyFailedShard(clusterState, primaryShardRouting1, randomBoolean());
+        assertNotEquals(clusterState, newState);
+        clusterState = newState;
+
+        // verify that promoted replica again exists on a remote node
+        assertEquals(3, clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(STARTED).size());
+        ShardRouting primaryShardRouting2 = clusterState.routingTable().index("test").shard(0).primaryShard();
+        assertNotEquals(primaryShardRouting1, primaryShardRouting2);
+        assertTrue(
+            primaryShardRouting2.currentNodeId().equals(remoteNode2.getId())
+                || primaryShardRouting2.currentNodeId().equals(remoteNode3.getId())
+        );
+        assertNotEquals(primaryShardRouting1.currentNodeId(), primaryShardRouting2.currentNodeId());
+
+        ShardRouting expectedCandidateForSegRep = clusterState.getRoutingNodes().activeReplicaWithOldestVersion(shardId);
+
+        // fail primary shard again
+        newState = allocation.applyFailedShard(clusterState, primaryShardRouting2, randomBoolean());
+        assertNotEquals(clusterState, newState);
+        clusterState = newState;
+
+        // verify that promoted replica exists on a non-remote node
+        assertEquals(2, clusterState.getRoutingNodes().shardsWithState(STARTED).size());
+        ShardRouting primaryShardRouting3 = clusterState.routingTable().index("test").shard(0).primaryShard();
+        assertNotEquals(primaryShardRouting2, primaryShardRouting3);
+        assertTrue(
+            primaryShardRouting3.currentNodeId().equals(nonRemoteNode1.getId())
+                || primaryShardRouting3.currentNodeId().equals(nonRemoteNode2.getId())
+        );
+        assertEquals(expectedCandidateForSegRep.allocationId(), primaryShardRouting3.allocationId());
+    }
 }