India-Russia Visa Lift A New Chapter in Bilateral Mobility?

The dynamic trajectory of India-Russia relations has historically encompassed various domains, ranging from strategic cooperation to cultural exchange.

- Prof. Preeti D Das

Among these, people-to-people connections have often been an understated yet vital pillar of bilateral engagement. Recent developments surrounding the resumption and proposed liberalisation of visa regimes between India and Russia prompt pertinent questions: Are we witnessing the advent of a new chapter in bilateral mobility? Contextualising recent visa policy changes requires examining how Soviet-era mobility paradigms have evolved under shifting geopolitical, socioeconomic, and policy dynamics, shaping current frameworks and their global implications.

India and the Soviet Union enjoyed a deep and multifaceted relationship during the Cold War, marked not only by state-level diplomacy but also through vibrant cultural, educational, and academic exchanges. The ideological confluence between Nehruvian socialism and Soviet communism laid the groundwork for enduring people-to-people ties.

Russian literary heroes such as Alexander Pushkin, Leo Tolstoy, and Fyodor Dostoevsky resonated deeply with Indian audiences, while Indian thinkers, including Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore, gained enthusiastic attention in Russia. The Soviet Union invested significantly in disseminating scientific and educational resources to India, often via subsidised publications and translation efforts, with Soviet-published textbooks becoming staples in Indian academic institutions.

Thousands of Indian students pursued higher education in Soviet universities under state-sponsored scholarship programs. Indian films, such as “Awara” and “Disco Dancer,” achieved cult status across the USSR, further illustrating the cultural resonance shared between the two nations. These exchanges forged a lasting legacy of mutual familiarity and cultural sympathy, transcending formal diplomatic channels.