Indians Can Soon Travel To Russia Without Tourist Visa

India-West News Desk

MOSCOW – Indian tourist could soon enjoy visa-free travel to Russia, with the new arrangement expected as early as spring 2025. This follows a series of consultations between Moscow and New Delhi, which began in June this year, to establish a bilateral agreement easing visa restrictions.

Currently, Indian travelers can visit 62 countries without a visa. Russia, which introduced e-visas for Indian passport holders in August 2023, may soon join that list. E-visas are typically processed within four days and have already strengthened tourism ties between the two nations.

According to a report by India Today, Russia issued approximately 9,500 e-visas to Indian travelers in 2023, accounting for 6% of the total e-visas granted. This places India among the top five countries benefiting from Russia’s simplified travel procedures.

The steady increase in Indian visitors to Russia highlights the growing tourism and business ties between the two countries. While leisure tourism is on the rise, many Indian travelers head to Russia for business and work. In fact, India ranked third among non-CIS countries for business tourists visiting Russia in the first quarter of 2024.

The proposed visa-free arrangement for group tourist exchanges is expected to further boost travel between the two countries.

Also Read: Prioritizing India, US Cuts Visa Delays In India, Vows To Do More