COVID-19: India asks Beijing for 'congenial stance' to facilitate early return of Indian students to China

The government said on Thursday that it has highlighted the effect of continued stringent COVID-19 restrictions on the academic careers of thousands of Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities and noted that it will continue to urge the Chinese side to adopt a congenial stance in the interest of students to facilitate their return.

"Our embassy in Beijing, our consulates and ministry have been taking up this matter with the relevant authorities in China on numerous occasions, since the restrictions were imposed," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a regular media briefing.

"We have highlighted the plight of the students and how the continuation of these stringent restrictions are putting the academic careers and education careers of thousands of students in jeopardy," he added.

Bagchi said External Affairs Minister S Jaishanker personally raised this question with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Dushanbe, Tajikistan in September last year.

Stating that India has note statements made by a Chinese spokesperson, Bagchi said the Chinese side has not given any categorical response on the return of Indian students.

"We will continue to urge the Chinese side to adopt a congenial stance in the interest of our students and they facilitate an early return to China," he added.

Over question on reports of Wang Yi's possible visit to India, the MEA spokesperson said there was no information to share at the moment.

"I don't have any information to share on this, at this moment," Bagchi said.

Reports in the media have said Wang Yi will undertake a visit to India with Beijing to host BRICS summit later this year. If the visit takes place, it would be the first such ministerial visit since border stand-off in eastern Ladakh in April-May 2020 due to actions of the Chinese Army.

There has been disengagement of troops from certain areas along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh and talks have been held between the two sides for disengagement from other areas.

The 15th round of Corps Commander-level talks between the two sides was held last week at Chushul in Eastern Ladakh.

( With inputs from ANI )

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