India, Russia to explore visa-free tourism exchange

The first India-Russia joint consultations on the launch of visa-free tourist exchange will be held in June, followed by a bilateral agreement by the year-end, reported Russian media, citing a Russian minister.

Nikita Kondratyev, director of the Department for Multilateral Economic Cooperation and Special Projects, opened up on the consultations on the sidelines of the 'Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum 2024', a global economic forum.

"The process with group visa-free trips has moved a little. The Indian side returned with the answer that they are at the final stage of internal state coordination and asked us again for the latest draft of the document and promised to return in the very near future. I think we will hold the first consultations with them in June to discuss a draft agreement," Kondratyev said on the sidelines of the KazanForum 2024" in Russia's Kazan.

"We plan to sign by the end of the year," he added, according to Sputnik.

Earlier, in February, the Russian ministry said it expects to launch visa-free tourist exchanges with India in 2024, on the lines of similar agreements signed with China and Iran.

Russia and China launched a visa-free group tourist exchange on August 1, 2023, as part of an intergovernmental agreement.

Moscow and Tehran also launched a visa-free group tourist exchange from August 1, according to reports.

The 'Russia-Islamic World: KazanForum', which is being hosted in Kazan since May 14, will conclude on May 19.

(ANI)