VTB extends India Test Drive to boost Russian-Indian SME trade

Russian businesses importing from India get a major cost-cutting boost. VTB's revamped programme slashes fees and speeds up cross-border deals—here's how.

, and Administrator

2026 May 4 . 8:09 AM

1 min read

The image shows a New Russia Company Limited stock certificate with text and numbers printed on it.... — The image shows a New Russia Company Limited stock certificate with text and numbers printed on it. The certificate is a stock certificate issued by the company, with a blue background and white text. The text reads "New Russia Company" and the numbers are printed in a bold font.

VTB extends India Test Drive to boost Russian-Indian SME trade

VTB has extended its India Test Drive programme for small and medium-sized businesses. The initiative helps Russian entrepreneurs importing from India by cutting costs and simplifying transactions. Participants now benefit from improved terms for account openings and transfers until the end of 2023. The programme offers preferential conditions for businesses and self-employed individuals. These include lower fees for foreign trade operations and free multilingual support in Russian, English, and Hindi. Companies also gain exclusive access to closed rupee sales, making trade with Indian partners more efficient.

Indian counterparties can quickly open accounts at VTB’s branch in New Delhi. This speeds up transactions between Russian and Indian businesses. Over the past year, VTB’s portfolio of rupee-denominated accounts for SMEs has grown by more than 50%. Enrolment in the programme remains open until June 30, 2023. The current terms will stay in place until December 31, 2023. Yulia Kopytova, VTB’s Senior Vice President and Head of Analysis, Coordination, and Product Development, oversees the initiative.

The extended programme reduces financial barriers for Russian importers working with India. With faster account setups and multilingual support, businesses can streamline cross-border trade. VTB’s initiative continues to expand, reflecting growing demand for rupee-based transactions.