India and Russia may sign a visa-free travel agreement by the end of 2024.
According to a Russian minister, discussions on a bilateral agreement to facilitate travel between Russia and India will begin in June. The minister also indicated that Moscow and New Delhi intended to strengthen their tourism ties by establishing visa-free group tourist exchanges.
“India is in the final stages of internal state coordination,” Nikita Kondratyev, director of the Russian Economic Development Ministry’s Department of Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, told RT News.
On the outskirts of the “Russia – Islamic World: KazanForum 2024″ international economic forum in Kazan, the minister indicated that a draft agreement will be reviewed for the first time in June and that a signature would most likely take place by the end of the year.
“Russia and India want to boost their tourism links as they prepare to introduce visa-free group tourist exchanges. The first round of negotiations between the two countries is slated for June, with the goal of reaching a bilateral agreement by the end of the year,” the minister stated.
According to Kondratyev, Russia plans to replicate the success of its current visa-free travel accords with China and Iran. On August 1, 2016, Russia and China inaugurated their visa-free group travel exchange program. On the same day, Russia and Iran inaugurated a visa-free group travel exchange, ushering in a new chapter in their tourist relationship.
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