MOSCOW, August 10. /TASS/. Russia has forwarded a proposal to India regarding the start of a visa-free group tour exchange between the countries, Minister of Economic Development Maxim Oreshnikov said in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel.

"We have [now launched visa-free tour exchanges - TASS] with China. Next we have India," Reshetnikov said. "We have sent a proposal there. Deliberation is now underway over diplomatic channels; we will expedite [it]," the minister said.

The industry faces the task of bringing inbound tourism back what it was before COVID-19 and replacing the shortfall in tourist traffic from unfriendly countries.