Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Friday that India will shortly implement a groundbreaking 30-day electronic tourist visa for all Russian citizens that carries absolutely no application fee, no processing charges, and no hidden costs, making it one of the most generous visa concessions ever extended by New Delhi to any country.
The historic announcement was delivered during the joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Hyderabad House, immediately after the successful conclusion of the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, where both leaders signed multiple agreements to elevate bilateral ties to unprecedented levels across defence, energy, trade, and cultural domains.
Modi explicitly linked the visa waiver to a broader vision of transforming tourism into a strategic bridge, stating that the immediate launch of both individual e-tourist visas and dedicated group tourist visas at zero cost will remove every bureaucratic hurdle, encourage millions of Russian travellers to experience India’s heritage, and cement people-to-people bonds that have remained resilient for over seven decades.
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Drawing attention to deepening spiritual connectivity, the Prime Minister recalled the profound impact of the Kapilavastu relics tour in October, when millions of devotees in Russia’s Buddhist-majority Republic of Kalmykia queued for hours to pay homage to Lord Buddha’s sacred relics at the International Buddhist Forum—an event organised with Indian cooperation that visibly moved President Putin and reinforced centuries-old civilisational linkages between the two nations.
Government sources confirmed that technical preparations are in the final stages, with the new fee-exempt regime expected to go live within weeks, instantly positioning India as the most attractive and hassle-free destination for Russian tourists and setting the stage for a dramatic surge in arrivals, expanded airline connectivity, and billions in additional tourism revenue while further solidifying the unbreakable India-Russia strategic partnership.
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