Passenger air traffic between India and Russia grew by almost a third in 2026

Aeroflot, Russia’s largest airline, carried more than 185,000 passengers between January and August 2026 (+29% year-on-year)—the strongest growth in three years. This included 131,000 passengers carried between Moscow and Delhi in the first eight months of 2026 (+22%), according to Aeroflot.

In 2025 as a whole, 242,000 passengers were carried; over the past five years, the figure was around 1 million, Aeroflot said.

About 60% of passenger traffic falls in the colder months, from October to February. Aeroflot operates flights from Moscow to Delhi and, during the winter period, from Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk to Goa—15 flights a week in total.


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According to Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, tourist flows between Russia and India grew by 8% in H1 2026, with around 50,000 Russians visiting India, and more than 25,000 Indians visiting Russia.

In 2025 as a whole, more than 101,000 Russians traveled to India (nearly 60,000 of them for tourism purposes), while more than 182,000 Indian citizens visited Russia.

Manturov identified the development of cashless payments between the two countries as a key driver of future growth in tourist flows. The first deputy prime minister said that Russia is working to create even more comfortable conditions for Indian visitors. In particular, e-visas have been introduced, while tourism services are being improved in line with the India Friendly standard. On its flights, Aeroflot offers passengers from India familiar Indian dishes as well as vegetarian options.

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India is among the leading countries by the number of students studying in Russia. Over the past 10 years, the figure has increased sevenfold, reaching almost 40,000. Indian and Russian cultural festivals are held regularly, with the next one planned for 2027 in India. The steady flow of Indian students to Russian universities (particularly for medical and engineering programs) has for years provided a non-seasonal baseline passenger flow outside peak tourist periods.

The growing presence of Indian delegations at Russian economic forums, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum and the Eastern Economic Forum, is another source of passenger traffic. Direct flights facilitate bilateral investment contacts, especially during India’s BRICS chairmanship.