India is planning to lift restrictions on Chinese companies bidding for government contracts.
– The curbs were introduced in 2020 after a border clash between India and China that strained bilateral ties between the neighbors.
– New Delhi had imposed an additional layer of clearances for companies based in countries that shared borders with India for participating in the procurement program.
– The present plan by the Finance Ministry to ease the curbs is part of a broader reassessment of ties with China.
– The proposed shift in policy is the latest sign of improved ties between New Delhi and Beijing.
– India’s diplomatic engagement with China has gathered momentum since 2024, while military-level talks have helped defuse border tensions.
– The thaw in relations began after a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
During the Kazan meeting.
– The two nations agreed to restore bilateral ties, including business, tourism, and cultural connections.
– Modi and Xi also held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin in August 2025, where the two leaders agreed to further build ties.
– Direct flights between China and India officially resumed in October 2025 after a hiatus of five years.
– In December, Beijing relaxed visa rules for Indian nationals, allowing online applications, as both nations took another step toward normalzing economic ties. The move removed the need for initial in-person visits to Chinese diplomatic missions.
– New Delhi also dropped a layer of bureaucratic scrutiny and shortened visa approval times to less than a month to fast-track business visas for Chinese professionals.
– Beijing has accused the US of seeking to undermine its ties with India.
https://www.rt.com/india/630728-india-planning-to-remove-restrictions