Russia working towards simplified visa regime for India, 5 other countries

Russia is making agreements with six countries including India for a hassle-free visa regime, Russian News Agency TASS reported on Monday quoting Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Ivanov.

“In addition to India, we are also working on draft inter-government agreements that imply mutual simplification of visa regime with Angola, Vietnam, Indonesia, Syria and the Philippines,” Ivanov said.

Ivanov had earlier said that Russia was already working on the agreements for visa-free travel with 11 countries, including Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Haiti, Zambia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago, reported TASS.

This comes after the visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to New Delhi for the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting last week. Laprov lauded India’s presidency for G20 by calling the country as “highly responsible” and “worthy of a great power” on key matters of global agenda. He also sung praises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Lavrov went on to say that as G20 president, PM Modi took a balanced and responsible stance on every issue.

India and Russia have a long history of friendship, with Moscow remaining a strong and loyal friend to New Delhi since India's independence. Seeing India's potential early on, Russia and its leaders have always held the country and its people in high regard, resulting in a natural mutually beneficial partnership that has lasted through the decades.

On the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war,  PM Modi recently said that India is always ready to contribute to any peace process.

“From the very beginning of the Ukraine conflict, India has made it clear that this dispute can only be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy,” PM Modi said, adding, “And India is fully prepared to contribute to any peace process.”
He was speaking during a press conference with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who was on a two-day visit to India, the first by an Italian prime leader in five years.

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