India-China ties: New Delhi eases entry norms for Chinese professionals; to issue visas for shorter period

India has relaxed visa norms for China the two countries take steps to mend relations strained by the eastern Ladakh border standoff in 2020. In its latest push, India will now make entry easier for Chinese professionals visiting for short-term.According to sources cited by PTI, Chinese nationals coming to India for limited durations will no longer need to apply for long-validity employment or “E” visas. Instead, they will be eligible for business visas meant for shorter stays, a shift aimed at cutting down approval timelines. All applications for business visa will be processed within three to four weeks. However, as norms for professionals ease, other applicants will have to pass existing security screening.While the revised norms are applicable across nationalities, Chinese professionals are expected to gain the most from the change. The move is expected to ease travel for Chinese technical experts required by Indian companies that rely on Chinese machinery and equipment. Over the past few months, both countries have taken steps focused on people-to-people engagement. India restarted the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals in July, while direct flights between the two countries resumed in October. Other agreed measures include facilitating visas, resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. High-level diplomatic engagement has also accompanied these moves. Back in August, PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to strengthen bilateral engagement to address current challenges and seek a “fair” resolution to the border dispute. During their interaction in Tianjin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Summit, the two leaders also committed to boosting trade and investment to help stabilise global commerce. The momentum continued ahead of PM Modi’s China visit, when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi travelled to New Delhi. The visit resulted in the announcement of several confidence-building measures aimed at a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relationship, including maintaining peace along the frontier, reopening border trade and encouraging investment flows.