In a bid to boost tourism & bilateral ties, Malaysia has become one of the few nations that grants visa-free access to Indian citizens. Indian nationals will be able to take advantage of this friendly policy from December 1, 2023. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim made the announcement.
According to recent reports, Indian and Chinese nationals will be able to enter the country for up to 30 days without a visa. During an address on Sunday at the annual conference of his People's Justice Party, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim disclosed this development. It's important to remember, though, that security checks will still be conducted before visas are issued.
Malaysia took its decision with the expectation that tourism would grow and that spending by tourists would encourage economic growth. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim promised that the government will enhance visa regulations in the coming year in an attempt to attract more tourists and investors, especially from China and India. Notably, by issuing visa-free entry to Indians, Malaysia has become the fourth Asian country to do so. Below is 3 other Asian countries that allow Indians visa-free entry-
2) Vietnam
The move aligns with current Asian trends, since other nations have also made efforts to promote tourism. In an effort to boost the nation's tourist industry's recovery, Vietnam's Minister of Culture, Sports, and tourism, Nguyen Van Hung, has been advocating for large markets like China and India to have temporary visa waivers. Notably, a number of European countries can visit Vietnam without a visa already.
3) Thailand
Similar to this, Thailand declared in October 2023 that it would allow visitors from Taiwan and India to enter the country without a visa for a period of six months, from November 10, 2023, to May 10, 2024. Announcing the decision, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said, "We will provide visa-free entry to India and Taiwan because a lot of their people like to travel to Thailand."
4) Sri Lanka
Not to be surpassed, Sri Lanka accepted a plan to give free visas to visitors from seven nations, including China and India. The island government wants to draw in more tourists, therefore this campaign is scheduled to run for five months, ending on March 31, 2024. With a target of five million visitors, the Sri Lankan tourism ministry is confident of a notable increase in visitor arrivals in the coming years.
Recognizing the economic advantages of increased international travel, nations have been working together to rejuvenate and boost their tourism industries, as illustrated by the global trend toward visa-free entrance. As Malaysia welcomes Indian nationals, it is a step in the right direction toward building closer relations between the two countries and encouraging tourism as a driver of regional economic expansion.