New Delhi: India is in touch with China to work out modalities to facilitate the return of our medical students to Chinese educational institutions following restrictions on travel imposed by Beijing because of the Covid-19 pandemic, minister of state for external affairs V Muraleedharan said.
The Indian government has been taking up the matter with Chinese authorities in New Delhi and through the embassy in Beijing, Muraleedharan said in response to a question in Lok Sabha during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament.
According to the Chinese government’s official figures, more than 23,000 Indian students were studying in China before the start of the pandemic, and most of them have been unable to return for their courses due to travel-related restrictions.
Muraleedharan said the Chinese government restricted travel to the country by suspending visa and residence permits with effect from March 28, 2020, due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
On June 13, the Chinese side updated its visa policy for Indians, though this didn’t apply to students. China said it will start accepting applications from foreign nationals and their family members going to China for the resumption of work, and for family members of foreigners with Chinese permanent residence permits going for reunions or visiting relatives.
After the Indian side raised the issue of the return of students, the Chinese side “recently expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of a limited number of Indian students on a trial basis depending upon need”, Muraleedharan said.
“The two sides are currently in touch with each other to work out further modalities for facilitating the return of Indian medical students to China,” Muraleedharan said.
“The government has been taking up the matter of the return of Indian students with the Chinese authorities, both in New Delhi and through our embassy in China,” he added.
Union external affairs minister S Jaishankar raised the matter with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi when they met in New Delhi on March 25 and noted that such a “restrictive policy puts the future of many Indian students in jeopardy”.
