India-China tension: New Delhi tightens curbs on visas, universities to limit Beijing’s influence
- Visas for Chinese businessmen, academics, industry experts, and advocacy groups will need prior security clearance, officials say
- The government is also reviewing Beijing’s links with 54 Indian educational institutions
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has been told that visas for Chinese businessmen, academics, industry experts, and advocacy groups will need prior security clearance, said senior officials who asked not to be identified, citing rules for speaking to the media.
With the exception of Mandarin language courses, tie-ups with Chinese institutions are likely to be discontinued, the officials said. The institutions are used to influence policymakers, think tanks, political parties, companies and academics, they said.
India’s foreign ministry didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
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“These and other steps that have been taken over the last few weeks are designed to decrease Indian over-dependence on China and reduce the exposure or vulnerability of various sectors to direct and indirect Chinese state influence,” said Tanvi Madan, senior fellow at the Washington-based Brookings Institute.
New Delhi should “assess the ramification both in terms of potential retaliation from Beijing and Indian ability to withstand that,” Madan said.
The US and Australia have taken similar steps to limit China’s influence.
The Trump administration is increasing scrutiny of Confucius Institutes that teach Chinese language and culture in the US and other nations. It looks set to force them to register as “foreign missions,” subjecting them to certain requirements.