Indian citizens may soon have the opportunity to travel to Russia without a tourist visa, with visa-free group tourist exchanges expected to launch as early as spring 2025. This development comes after ongoing consultations between Moscow and New Delhi aimed at easing travel restrictions.
Progress Towards Visa-Free Travel
Since August 2023, Indian travelers have been eligible for e-visas to Russia, which are processed within four days, providing a faster and more convenient way to explore the country. Now, a proposed bilateral agreement seeks to eliminate the visa requirement entirely for group tourists.
Nikita Kondratyev, Director of the Russian Economic Development Ministry’s Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, stated in May that India is in the “final stage of internal state coordination” to facilitate this initiative.
The first round of consultations on visa-free group travel began in June 2023, with the goal of finalizing the agreement by the end of 2024.
Rising Indian Interest in Russia
Indian tourists have shown increasing interest in visiting Russia. In 2023, Moscow issued 9,500 e-visas to Indian travelers, accounting for 6% of the total e-visas granted by the city, placing India among the top five countries for easy travel access to Russia.
The numbers further surged in 2024. During the first half of the year, 28,500 Indian travelers visited Moscow—a 1.5-fold increase compared to the same period in 2023. Over 60,000 Indian tourists visited the Russian capital in 2023, marking a 26% increase from 2022, according to Evgeny Kozlov, Chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee.
India: A Priority Market for Moscow
Moscow has identified India as a priority market for tourism due to the strong historical and cultural ties between the two nations. While many Indians travel to Russia for business or work, tourism is gaining momentum. India ranked third among visitors from non-CIS countries for business tourism during the first quarter of 2024.
“India’s steady rise in tourist numbers highlights the strengthening of ties between our countries,” Kozlov said, adding that Moscow aims to further attract Indian travelers with initiatives like visa-free group travel.
Global Travel Opportunities for Indian Passport Holders
Indian passport holders currently enjoy visa-free travel to 62 countries. With Russia potentially joining this list by 2025, it would mark a significant expansion of global travel opportunities for Indian citizens, enhancing cultural and economic exchanges between the two nations.
As discussions progress, the tourism sector in both countries eagerly awaits this historic step, which promises to make Russia a more accessible destination for Indian travelers.
Sources By Agencies
