Guest tone: Russia and India continue dialogue on visa-free travel for travel groups
Russia and India will continue the dialogue on visa-free travel for tourist groups, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko told "Izvestia". According to him, Moscow and New Delhi will eventually adopt a more comfortable format for visiting the two countries. Experts believe that the republic is conducting a detailed analysis of all aspects of the cancellation of entry documents. At the same time, the transition to a group visa-free regime will also stimulate the flow of tourists from India to Russia. About how the relations of the states are developing, see the "Izvestia" material.
Visa-free negotiations with India
The idea of launching a visa-free regime for tourist groups began to be actively discussed after the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi in December 2025. Moscow then handed over draft agreements to the partners, in which it proposed to establish such a format for groups of three to 50 people for a period of no more than 21 days. Indian Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar said earlier that a decision on this issue has not yet been made.
— The dialogue is ongoing, our Indian colleagues have their own ideas and comments. I think it will continue. We will eventually reach a more comfortable regime for Indians and Russians to visit Russia, — Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Andrey Rudenko told "Izvestia".
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the meeting of the XVIII BRICS Summit in New Delhi, September 12
Vladimir Putin's recent visit to India on September 11-13 may give a new impetus to the negotiation process. The Russian leader called the results of the talks "very meaningful, frank and productive." The Indian Foreign Ministry noted that the parties will continue to work together to "further strengthen the special and privileged strategic partnership."
India explains the difficulties with the transition to visa-free travel for tourist groups with a complicated procedure of internal coordination with the competent authorities. Alexey Kupriyanov, head of the Indian Ocean Region Center, explained to "Izvestia" that group travel visa—free travel is a new and unfamiliar business for Indians, so they evaluate its benefits and possible negative consequences. Earlier it was reported that the creation of this regime requires the availability of an IT infrastructure in India to verify tourist lists in real time. It is necessary to coordinate the registers of authorized tour operators, electronic document formats, data encryption channels and verification procedures at border checkpoints.
Currently, the visa regime for Russian citizens is quite simple. The main way to enter India is an electronic visa, which can be issued in one to four days. But these conditions are also improving: since January 1 of this year, the republic has abolished the fee for issuing electronic 30-day tourist visas. In August, Nikita Kondratiev, Director of the Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects at the Ministry of Economic Development, announced that Moscow and New Delhi were discussing the possibility of canceling all visa fees for tourists. Now they range from 3 thousand to 12 thousand rubles.
Development of relations between Russia and India
The abolition of the visa regime for tourist groups can increase the demand for trips to India by up to 30%, Maya Kotlyar, founder and CEO of MAYEL Travel, said in an interview with "Izvestia". The emergence of new flights may also contribute to this. According to her, a massive flow of tourists will be directed to the resorts of Goa, and sightseeing routes in the golden triangle of India: Delhi, Agra and Jaipur will have an additional effect. At the same time, Kotlyar emphasizes that in Russia the segment of tourists who are ready to fly to India remains quite narrow.
According to statistics, in the first six months of 2026, about 50 thousand Russian citizens visited the republic and more than 25 thousand Indian tourists traveled to our country. The total tourist flow between Russia and India increased by 8% in the first half of the year, First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said in August. Maya Kotlyar points out that the number of tourists from India to Russia is also growing. Group visa-free travel in this regard can further stimulate demand. Indian experts have also previously mentioned that visa cancellation is more beneficial for travelers from this country.
Ingrained stereotypes about India remain a serious barrier to scaling the tourist flow. Contrary to myths about the widespread criminogenic situation, popular resort areas like Goa or Kerala are safe for foreign visitors, and premium international medical tourism is actively developing in megacities. Nevertheless, problems with public safety and the quality of emergency medical care remain in remote provinces and non-tourist areas.
The sanitary and epidemiological specifics of the region are recognized as an equally tangible problem.
Cases of violence against foreign women, including attacks on travelers from Europe, the United States, and group attacks in provincial states, occupy a special place in the structure of risks that form a negative image of a destination. They regularly come into the focus of the world's media. The problem is compounded by the deep socio-cultural gap between major tourist centers and the conservative Indian province.
Nevertheless, the unique cultural heritage, ancient architecture, distinctive gastronomy and pristine nature of India have their weight. The success and safety of the trip directly depend on self-discipline, constant vigilance, strict sanitary protocol and respect for local customs.
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