Putting aside concerns raised by security agencies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to announce electronic travel visa for Chinese travellers during his visit to China on May 14, a senior official said.
By Vijaita Singh
Though security agencies are against the facility being extended to Chinese travellers, the PMO has already decided. As a way out, the Indian Embassy in Beijing has prepared a “blacklist” and the e-Travel Visa will be given “cautiously and judiciously.”
Though the exact number is not known, sources said the list has been improvised upon and it runs into thousands of names.
“The government has overruled the Intelligence Bureau and R&AW. So you can imagine the position of the government. We don’t want to bog down the intelligence agencies. The government has decided to bring their relationship with the most important country to a certain level, we have to take it forward,” said a government official.
On concerns that China still gives stapled visas to residents of Arunachal Pradesh, a territory it claims its own, the official said, “China gives stapled visa randomly only to government officials going for seminars, sports functions etc. There are many instances where common Arunachalis had gone to China on normal visa. It is not a stated policy of China, they are just doing this according to their convenience.”
Last week, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with security agencies and Home Ministry where these issues were discussed. MoS (Home) Kiren Rijiju had told Rajya Sabha last week that e-Travel Visa need not be on “reciprocal” basis and India was extending the facility to boost tourism.
“It has been decided that the announcement will be done in China. It is good news for China but there could be domestic reactions. Its not visa-on-arrival but only an electronic visa. We will screen them before they come.
That restriction remains,” the official said. He added, “Apart from the blacklist, we have a Central negative list as well. Unless a person figures in that list, he can be given that visa. For UK, US we have a bigger list than China.”