PM Modi announces India will soon offer free 30-day e-tourist and group tourist visas for Russian citizens

India will soon launch free 30-day e-tourist visa for Russians, announces PM Modi (Image: PTI)

In a major move set to boost travel between India and Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced that India will soon launch a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day Group Tourist Visa exclusively for Russian travellers. The announcement came during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s high-profile two-day state visit to New Delhi — his first trip to India in four years and since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

(Image: X/ @narendramodi)

Warm Welcome for President Putin in New Delhi

President Vladimir Putin arrived in the Indian capital on Thursday evening, December 4, and was personally received by PM Modi at the Palam Technical Airport. In a rare gesture of camaraderie, the two leaders shared an unscripted car ride from the airport to a private dinner at the Prime Minister’s residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. Their warm interaction echoed their earlier car ride together in Tianjin during the SCO Summit.

(Image: X/ @narendramodi)

On Friday morning, President Putin was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan with a tri-services guard of honour. President Droupadi Murmu, PM Modi, and senior officials were present to greet the Russian leader ahead of the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit.

India Unveils Free 30-Day Visa for Russian Tourists

During the joint statement following summit talks, PM Modi highlighted the cultural bond between the two nations — particularly Russia’s deep-rooted Buddhist heritage. He noted that millions of devotees in Kalmykia recently received blessings from Lord Buddha’s sacred relics during the International Buddhist Forum.

(Image: PTI)

PM Modi announced that India will soon introduce a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a separate 30-day Group Tourist Visa for Russian citizens, a move expected to significantly boost inbound travel from Russia.

Spiritual Diplomacy: India’s Buddha Relics in Kalmykia

Kalmykia, Russia’s Buddhist heartland, hosted the 3rd International Buddhist Forum in Elista in September 2025. The forum showcased India’s sacred relics of Lord Buddha, reinforcing centuries-old cultural and spiritual ties and strengthening India’s soft diplomacy in the region.

A Visit With Strategic and Tourism Significance

President Putin’s 2025 visit marks an important chapter in India–Russia relations. Held as the 23rd annual bilateral summit, the meeting also aligns with 25 years of enhanced strategic engagement between the two nations — a partnership that has weathered shifting global politics and economic realignments.

At a time when the world is rapidly redefining alliances, India and Russia are looking to broaden cooperation beyond their traditional pillars of defence, nuclear energy, and hydrocarbons. The focus is now expanding into economic, humanitarian, cultural, and social sectors.

This summit is not just another diplomatic formality; it is being projected as a reset moment — one that lays the groundwork for a more modern, diversified India–Russia partnership for the decade ahead.

(Image: PTI)

Visa Reforms to Power the Next Phase of India–Russia Engagement

The new visa announcement fits into this vision perfectly. By offering Russian citizens a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa, India aims to strengthen people-to-people connections, boost tourism, and deepen cultural ties. The move is expected to significantly increase travel from Russia and foster a more vibrant, multidimensional relationship beyond policy and geopolitics.