In response to complaints from the Indian sector, the Union government has implemented a streamlined, time-bound process for awarding business visas to Chinese technicians working on industrial projects.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ new guidelines, which take effect on August 1, aim to speed visa processing for people of China and other countries with land borders with India. This program is expected to lessen the hurdles faced by enterprises investing in 14 vital industries including the government’s flagship production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes, which aim to boost manufacturing in India. The PLI system covers various industries, including mobile phones, drones, white goods, telecoms, textiles, vehicles, and pharmaceutical pharmaceuticals. Delays in visa processing have significantly impacted sectors such as solar photovoltaic modules, specialized steel, white goods, and electronics.
Visa-related concerns have been producing productivity issues for businesses, particularly in important production activities such as machine installation or repairs, due to delays in component manufacturers’ visa clearances. With the new criteria, the entire procedure should take roughly a month, but no more than 45 days.