India temporarily suspends e-visa facilities for Chinese, foreigners residing in China

India has temporarily suspended its e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and other foreign nationals residing in the country, the Indian Embassy in Beijing said on Sunday, amid the outbreak of the new strain of coronavirus that has claimed lives of over 300 in that country alone.

"Due to certain current developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect. This applies to holders of Chinese passports and applicants of other nationalities residing in the People's Republic of China," the embassy tweeted.

Those having "compelling reasons" to visit the country have been asked to contact the Indian Embassy in Beijing, consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou and the Indian Visa Application Centres in these cities.

The virus originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December and has since then spread to various cities around the world. The confirmed cases of coronavirus in China have now surged past 14,000.