India assures long term work permits for Russian

India has assured Russia that 700 Russian experts and technicians involved in its various civilian and defence projects, including the Kudankulam nuclear power plant, would be granted long term work permits.
 
"We will resolve the issue (of their visas). The Russians would not need go out of India to seek change of their visa," external affairs minister SM Krishna, who was here on two-day official visit, told reporters before leaving for Tashkent.

The government has directed all foreigners working in India with business visa to convert its status to employment visa by October 31 or else leave the country.

The decision was aimed at ending the misuse of business visas by about 25,000 mostly semi-skilled Chinese workers but had raised concerns among Russian experts who are involved in defence and nuclear projects executed in India by the Russian companies.

During his parleys with vice-premier Sergei Sobyanin and foreign minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday Krishna assured them that none of the Russian experts and technicians would have to leave India for changing the status of visa.