(Image Credit: ANI)
On December 5, 2025, following the bilateral meeting of Narendra Modi and Vladimir Putin, India announced that the e-tourist visa would be free for 30 days to Russian nationals and that this measure would soon be implemented. The decision is seen as a major boost to tourism and a sign of good relations between the two nations. It is also part of a more extensive economic partnership agreement that was inked at the summit, which seeks to raise the level of trade, investment, and citizen to citizen connections between their nations.
Through the new visa system, Russian tourists will be able to travel to India free of charge for the regular visa fees, thus making the short term stay of tourists more affordable and easily accessible. The government’s strategy is to make the process easier for Russians, which will lead to a tourist influx and help India’s goal of enhancing global travel and cultural interaction. Officials called the measure ‘very important for the transfer of labor’ and at the same time an indispensable action for the fortification of India Russia people to people relations.
This occurrence denotes the fact that India and Russia have opened up their spheres of interaction not only economically but also socially and culturally. The granting of the no cost e-visa for thirty days to Russians is a strong signal of the diplomatic relations being built on trust and is likely to lead to a surge in the number of Russian tourists visiting India in the near future. The two nations have bound their cooperation through the newly signed Economic Cooperation Agreement that extends till 2030, and such visa facilitation could be the trigger for deeper engagement and mutual comprehension.
At present, India is offering e visa facilities to over 180 countries for tourists, business, medical, and conference purposes. Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore are the key ones whose citizens can get a tourist e-visa. Moreover, besides a good number of the above mentioned countries, some other nations from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia will also have access to business and medical e-visas. The e-visas will allow the tourists to enter India for a maximum period of 30 to 90 days depending on the type of visa, thus, simplifying the entry process and at the same time, facilitating the movements of people through the outlet of tourism, trade, and international partnership.
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