India has eased bureaucratic restrictions for issuing business visas to Chinese professionals, marking a significant step toward rebuilding relations between the two Asian giants. According to two Indian government officials, the decision is intended to speed up visa approvals and mitigate billions of dollars in production losses caused by a shortage of skilled technicians—particularly in electronics manufacturing.
The move comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautiously recalibrates India’s diplomatic balance, taking into account strict U.S. tariff policies while simultaneously seeking warmer ties with Beijing. Officials confirmed that New Delhi has removed one verification layer from the visa process, effectively reducing processing time to under one month.
Visa approvals for Chinese nationals had slowed drastically after the brief but intense border clash in 2020, prompting Indian authorities to increase scrutiny and expand background checks. One official familiar with the matter said those hurdles have now been “completely resolved,” allowing business visas to be cleared within four weeks.
China’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the development, describing it as a “positive step” that would facilitate professional exchanges and strengthen communication between the two nations.
Industry groups say the easing of restrictions was long overdue. According to the Observer Research Foundation, India’s electronics sector has suffered an estimated $15 billion in production losses over the past four years due to visa delays affecting Chinese engineers and technicians—key to operating specialized manufacturing equipment.
Earlier Reuters reports noted that major Chinese firms such as Xiaomi struggled for months to obtain visas for staff, stalling their expansion plans in India and contributing to skill gaps in industries like solar power manufacturing.
The reduction in red tape follows Modi’s recent visit to China, where he held talks with President Xi Jinping. For the first time since 2020, the two countries also agreed to resume direct flights.
The relaxed visa rules were aligned with recommendations from a high-level committee headed by former cabinet secretary Rajiv Gauba, which also advised easing curbs on Chinese investments.
Pankaj Mohindroo, chairman of the India Cellular and Electronics Association, welcomed the decision, calling it “a sign of a cooperative approach” toward neighbouring countries with shared land borders.
As the United States imposes up to 50% tariffs on Indian goods—partly in response to India’s purchases of discounted Russian oil—New Delhi has been reassessing its foreign policy calculus. Modi has simultaneously worked to revive ties with China, deepen cooperation with Russia, and negotiate a trade agreement with Washington.
The second official said India is “carefully” relaxing China-related regulations to create a more conducive business environment, alongside broader economic reforms including reduced consumption taxes and more flexible labour laws.
