Moscow, Russia: By spring 2025, the first visa-free tourist groups from India are expected to visit Moscow, marking a significant increase in Indian travelers to the city. Evgeny Kozlov, chairman of the Moscow City Tourism Committee, highlighted that in 2023, India ranked among the top countries for visitors to Moscow, primarily for business and work-related travel.

In the first half of 2024, Indian visitors to Moscow reached 28,500, a 50% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Over the entire year, more than 60,000 Indian travelers visited, representing a 26% rise from the previous year. India has emerged as a key market for Moscow, especially in business tourism, ranking third among non-CIS countries in this category.

Since August 2022, Indian travelers have been able to apply for e-visas, with 9,500 issued in 2023, accounting for 6% of all e-visas granted to foreigners visiting Russia. Kozlov noted that the city is positioning itself as an important hub for event and business tourism, with ambitions to attract Indian weddings and increase its hotel capacity by 25,700 rooms by 2030.