India might set up a consulate in Yekaterinburg, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to the Russian Federation Ajai Malhotra said at a meeting with Governor of Sverdlovsk Region Evgeny Kuivashev.

‘India operates two Consulates-General in Saint Petersburg and in Vladivostok for now; distances are great, and Yekaterinburg is a rapidly developing city that is located in a geographically advantageous spot; it can also boast a powerful industry and rich cultural traditions,’ Malhotra said.

The Ambassador sees tourism development as something with a lot of potential, as the number of Russian travelers to India went up by 25% in this year alone, and most of these tourists are flying from Siberia and the Urals.