India eases Chinese business visas, cuts approval time to under a month

India has cut extra scrutiny to clear China business visas within four weeks, easing delays for firms needing technicians and equipment as New Delhi recalibrates ties amid US tariffs

India has moved to speed up business visas for Chinese professionals by removing layers of scrutiny that had prolonged approvals for years, news agency Reuters reported on Friday citing officials.

 

The step aimed to revive strained ties with Beijing and address delays that had caused major production losses, the report said.

 

According to Reuters, the government cut red tape and shortened visa clearances to under a month.

 

Officials described the move as a major shift designed to support industries that rely on Chinese technicians and equipment.

 

They said the decision came at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautiously worked to rebuild engagement with China, even as India adjusted to steep tariffs imposed by the United States.

 

Why were Chinese business visits restricted after the Galwan Valley clash?

 

India had severely restricted Chinese visits after the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, a turning point that led to broader vetting of business visas by several ministries. These checks often stalled applications for months.

 

Officials told Reuters that the hurdles had now been removed and that delays had been fully resolved.

 

“We have removed the layer of administrative vetting and are processing the business visas within four weeks,” an official said, requesting anonymity.

 

What economic cost did delays reportedly create for industry?

 

The prolonged scrutiny had come with a heavy economic cost.

 

As reported by Reuters, estimates from the Observer Research Foundation said India lost about $15 billion in output over four years because electronics manufacturers struggled to bring in Chinese specialists needed to operate key machinery.

 

Companies such as Xiaomi faced repeated setbacks due to the visa logjam.

 

How does this tie into Modi–Xi engagement and flights resuming?

 

The policy shift followed Modi’s visit to China earlier this year, his first in seven years. During the trip, he met President Xi Jinping to discuss ways to improve bilateral ties. Notably, direct flights between the two countries resumed soon after, ending a pause that had lasted since 2020.

 

How do US tariffs fit into India’s recalibration, according to Reuters?

 

India’s recalibration also came in the wake of unexpected US tariffs.

 

US President Donald Trump imposed a 50 per cent duty on Indian goods and introduced a 25 per cent penalty for India’s purchase of Russian oil. The development pushed New Delhi to rethink its diplomatic priorities. India has been working to reset ties with China and deepen cooperation with Russia, while continuing talks on a trade agreement with Washington.

 

India also recently reduced consumption tax and eased labour regulations to attract more foreign investment. At the time of writing, the government had issued no official confirmation on the visa changes.