Russia works to ease visa regime for India, other countries

Russia is working on easing visa procedures for six countries, including India, Syria and Indonesia, the state TASS news agency cited Deputy Foreign Minister Evgeny Ivanov as saying on Sunday.

“In addition to India (procedures simplification) … is being worked out with Angola, Vietnam, Indonesia, Syria and Philippines,” Ivanov said.

Earlier, Ivanov said that Russia is also preparing intergovernmental agreements on visa-free trips with 11 countries, including Saudi Arabia, Barbados, Haiti, Zambia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico and Trinidad, TASS reported.

Since the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine a year ago, Moscow has turned to China, India and African nations, trying to seek closer ties there.

While the United States, Japan and the European Union condemned the operation and imposed sanctions, China and India have not done either.

India has kept a neutral stance, declining to blame Russia while sharply boosting its purchases of Russian oil.

Reuters