India announced free 30-day e-tourist and group tourist visas for Russian citizens on 5 December 2025, scrapping the standard ₹2,500 fee and biometric checks to simplify leisure visits and revive tourism flows.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared this during a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, post the 23rd Annual Summit, where both leaders signed 16 agreements spanning defence, trade, energy, and health.
Russian tourist arrivals plummeted from 187,000 in 2019 to below 60,000 in 2024 due to the Ukraine conflict, soaring airfares over ₹1 lakh, and limited flights; officials now eye 100,000 additional visitors by FY 2026-27, aided by Aeroflot’s resumed Delhi-Moscow routes, while industry groups applaud the move and call for reciprocal easings from countries like Japan no stakeholder pushback reported.
Modi Spotlights Tourism as Bridge
Prime Minister Modi positioned the visa waiver as a key step to deepen people-to-people connections, stating, “I am happy that very soon we are going to introduce a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa for Russian citizens,” while linking it to broader manpower mobility, skilling programmes, and economic opportunities.
These single-entry visas demand proof of return tickets, sufficient funds, and valid passports, with applications processed online gratis; overstays face penalties under the Immigration and Foreigners Act.
President Putin expressed gratitude for India’s warm hospitality, highlighting their “close working dialogue” to elevate the strategic partnership, a sentiment echoed by travel bodies noting how such policies humanise diplomacy amid geopolitical strains.
Russian tourists, long drawn to India’s beaches, Himalayas, and spiritual sites, now gain hassle-free access for up to 30 days, excluding business or medical categories which retain fees this targets leisure revival precisely.
Experts predict a surge in group tours from regions like Siberia and the Urals, where interest in yoga retreats and Ayurvedic wellness persists despite sanctions-hit travel. One industry voice remarked that waiving costs removes a major barrier for middle-class Russians, potentially injecting millions into local economies from Goa to Rishikesh.
Summit Sets Stage for Broader Ties
The announcement capped the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, unveiling Vision 2030 to triple bilateral trade to $100 billion, alongside pacts on Arctic training, critical minerals, nuclear energy, and defence co-production only 10 weekly flights currently link the nations, underscoring the need for tourism boosts.
This builds on pandemic recovery, where Russian visitors dipped sharply but showed 25% year-on-year growth in early 2025; cultural exchanges like Buddha relics displays in Russia’s Kalmykia Republic further cement bonds. MEA officials clarified in a briefing that the facility launches imminently via the official e-visa portal, aligning with joint statements praising simplified visas for enhanced exchanges.
Historically, India-Russia tourism interdependence dates back decades, with Moscow-Delhi flights ferrying adventure seekers to Ladakh and families to Kerala backwaters; the Ukraine war disrupted this, hiking costs via third-country routings.
Recent Aeroflot expansions and IndiGo’s Moscow considerations signal aviation thawing, while this visa move counters high fares a Delhi-Moscow round-trip often exceeds ₹1.2 lakh. Stakeholders, including hotel associations in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, hail it as timely, projecting 20-30% occupancy lifts in peak winter seasons.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This forward-thinking visa policy exemplifies harmony and coexistence, turning borders into bridges for cultural empathy and mutual understanding in a divided world. By prioritising people over politics, it advances peace and dialogue, mirroring PM Modi’s calls for peaceful Ukraine resolutions and counter-terrorism unity, fostering kindness through shared journeys. Such steps encourage positive change, proving small gestures like fee waivers can nurture global trust and human connections.
