Indian tourists may soon be able to visit Russia without a visa, with the arrangement potentially starting as early as spring 2025.
In June, Russia and India held consultations regarding a bilateral agreement to ease visa restrictions, aiming to implement visa-free group tourist exchanges, as reported by news agency PTI in May.
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And, since August 1, 2023, Indian travellers to Russia have been eligible for e-visas, which are typically issued within four days. According to reports, India ranked among the top five countries for the number of e-visas issued in 2023, with 9,500 e-visas granted to Indian visitors, accounting for 6 per cent of the total.
Most Indians travelling to Russia do so for business and work purposes. In 2023, over 60,000 Indian travellers visited Moscow, marking a 26 per cent increase compared to 2022.
In the first quarter of 2024, India ranked third among non-CIS countries for business tourism. By January 2024, Indian tourists had been issued nearly 1,700 e-visas.
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Currently, Russia allows travellers from China and Iran to enter without a visa through its visa-free tourist exchange programme. This initiative, which began on 1 August 2023, has been successful, and Russia hopes to replicate it with India, according to PTI.
Indian passport holders currently enjoy visa-free access to 62 countries.
In 2023, over 60,000 Indian travellers visited Moscow, marking a 26% increase compared to 2022. (Representational image) 
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