Russia Visa-Free Travel for Indians Begins Spring 2025

In a groundbreaking move to strengthen ties between Russia and India, the Russian government has announced that Indian nationals will be able to travel to Russia without a visa starting in Spring 2025. This new policy aims to simplify travel for Indian tourists and business professionals, encouraging tourism and fostering closer economic relations between the two countries.

The visa-free policy will initially apply to group tourism, allowing Indian travelers to visit Russia without the need for individual visas. While exact details, such as the size of eligible groups, are still under discussion, this is expected to significantly boost the number of Indian visitors to Russia.

The move follows a remarkable increase in Indian tourism to Russia, with over 28,500 Indian tourists arriving in Moscow during the first half of 2024—a 1.5-fold increase compared to the previous year. In 2023, more than 60,000 Indian nationals visited Moscow, marking a 26% rise from 2022.

In addition to this, Russia introduced an e-visa facility for Indian citizens in August 2023, allowing stays of up to 16 days with a streamlined approval process. Over 9,500 e-visas were issued to Indian nationals in 2023, highlighting the growing demand for Russian travel.

This move follows Russia's successful visa-free programs with countries like China and Iran, and aims to further enhance the cultural and economic exchanges between Russia and India.

As the policy is finalized, further details will be shared, but this initiative is expected to be a key milestone in Russia-India relations, facilitating easier travel and paving the way for new opportunities in tourism and business.