By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced that India will soon offer a 30-day free e-visa to Russian tourists.
He made the announcement at a joint press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the conclusion of the 23rd India-Russia annual summit.
“I am pleased to announce that we will soon be starting a free 30-day e-tourist visa and a 30-day group tourist visa. Manpower mobility will create new opportunities for the people of both countries. We will be working together on vocational education, skilling, and training,” PM Modi said.
He said India aims to strengthen people-to-people ties and boost tourism between India and Russia.
A joint statement issued after the talks said the two Sides agreed that cultural interaction and people to people exchanges are an important component of the India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
They appreciated the participation in major international cultural forums, book fairs, festivals, and art competitions organized in both countries and welcomed the holding on a parity basis, of Cultural Exchange Festivals in their countries, aimed at the fullest demonstration of Indian and Russian culture.
Both sides appreciated the steady increase in tourist exchanges between Russia and India and welcomed the simplification of visa formalities, including the introduction of e-Visa by both countries.
They agreed to continue the work on further simplification of the visa regime in future.
Both nations noted with appreciation the enhanced exchanges and contacts between the experts, think-tanks and institutes of India and Russia. Over the years, this track of dialogue has promoted increased mutual understanding between Indian and Russian strategic and policy-making circles and businesses so as to further strengthen the Strategic Partnership.
