Moscow: India will not sign a readmission
pact with Russia to check the inflow of alleged illegal
immigrants as demanded by this country as a condition for
easing the visa regime, a senior Indian diplomat has said.
"There is no question of signing a re-admission pact as
we don't have a common border with Russia and there is no
problem of illegal immigrants entering into this country,"
Deputy Chief of the Indian Mission here, Satbir Singh said at
a news conference.
"All the Indians coming to Russia travel on valid Indian
passports and Russian entry visas," he said.
Russia, which has signed a re-admission pact with
European Union as a pre-condition for easing EU visas for its
nationals, is seeking a similar pact with India, which along
with China has been clubbed into the category of countries
posing threat of illegal immigration.
"What concerns the problem of Russian business visas for
Indians, it would be resolved by itself given the situation
that in spite of recession the trade between the two countries
has grown by 30 percent this year," Singh said.
In earlier statements, Indian diplomats had said that
although India was interested in easier Russian visas for the
business, it could not be guided by Russia's pacts with the
third parties.
India officials have said that the EU and US, which are
facing the onslaught of illegal immigrants, have not demanded
a re-admission pact from India and issue long-term business
visas to bona fide Indian businessmen.
The Indian diplomats are not averse to the idea that
Russia could apply similar conditions for issuing business
visas to the Indian businessmen as by the US or the EU
countries.
Bureau Report
First Published: Friday, November 20, 2009, 15:38