Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: In what may further escalate tension between China and India, New Delhi has ‘informally’ directed the airlines flying into India not to board Chinese nationals.
This is seen as India’s response after recent reports that two cargo vessels with 39 Indians on board have not been allowed to unload their cargo for months, unlike other ships.
On December 24, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava had said, “Bulk cargo vessel MV Jag Anand is on anchorage near Jingtang port in Hebei province of China since June 13 and has 23 Indian sailors. Another vessel, MV Anastasia with 16 Indian nationals as its crew, is on anchorage near Caofeidian port in China since September 20.”
“There is a considerable amount of stress on the crew members on account of this unprecedented situation. Our Embassy in Beijing has been in constant touch with provincial and central government authorities in China, requesting that the ships be allowed to dock and/or the crew be allowed to be changed,” Srivastava said.
While China has been citing COVID-19 restrictions as the reason, it might be a fallout of China’s ongoing trade war with Australia. These ships are said to be carrying Australian coal that China has banned.
“We also understand that some other ships, which arrived after the Indian ships, have actually managed to discharge cargo and leave. The reasons for this are not clear,” Srivastava said, hinting at duplicity in China’s policy, particularly after India joined the US-led Quadrilateral Dialogue (Quad) with Japan and Australia, which has now become known as a prelude to an ‘Asian NATO’ in the offing against Beijing.
India’s latest move to block the entry of Chinese nationals into the country is, therefore, seen as a reciprocal action.
With winter in full blast in the Himalayas, armies of the two countries are already on the highest-ever alert on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) where Chinese intrusion in May 2020 had led to several casualties and a military standoff since. Despite eight rounds of military talks and diplomatic efforts, the situation has not improved.
Now, media reports said the airlines had received ‘unofficial’ directives from the government not to allow the Chinese nationals to fly.
Last year, India had suspended flights with China after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, but Chinese nationals continued to travel to India on specific types of visas, except tourist visas, via countries that have ‘air bubble’ arrangements with India.
Chinese nationals residing in countries that India has ‘air bubble’ agreements with had the option to fly into India if they carried permissible types of visas.
On November 5, however, Beijing restricted the incoming of Indian fliers into China. The Chinese embassy in India said, “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s hereby announced that China has decided to temporarily suspend the entry into China by foreign nationals in India holding valid Chinese visas or residence permits.
“The Chinese Embassy/ Consulates in India will not stamp the Health Declaration Forms for the holders of the above-mentioned categories of visa or residence permits.”
China, however, said the move would not affect any visas issued after November 3, 2020.