India to resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens
Tensions between the two countries escalated following a 2020 military clash along their disputed Himalayan border. In response, India imposed restrictions on Chinese investments, banned hundreds of popular Chinese apps and cut passenger routes.
China suspended visas to Indian citizens and other foreigners around the same time due to the COVID-19 pandemic but lifted those restrictions in 2022, when it resumed issuing visas for students and business travellers.
Tourist visas for Indian nationals remained restricted until March this year, when both countries agreed to resume direct air service.
Relations have gradually improved, with several high-level meetings taking place last year, including talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia in October.
India and China share a 3,800 km (2,400-mile) border that has been disputed since the 1950s. The two countries fought a brief but brutal border war in 1962 and negotiations to settle the dispute have made slow progress.
In July, India's foreign minister stated that both countries must resolve border friction, pull back troops and avoid "restrictive trade measures" to normalise their relationship, he told China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Exclusive: Indian owners of three ships ask sanctions-hit Nayara Energy to release the vessels, sources say
NEW DELHI, July 29 (Reuters) - The Indian owners of three vessels chartered to Nayara Energy have asked the Russian-backed firm to end their contracts following recent European Union sanctions on the refiner, six sources familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. India-based Seven Islands Shipping Ltd and Great Eastern Shipping Co (GESCO) have asked Nayara to release the three clean products tankers, citing concerns over the sanctions, five of the sources said. The medium-range vessels are the Bourbon and Courage, owned and managed by Seven Islands, and GESCO's tanker Jag Pooja, sources said. The sources declined to be named as they were not authorised to speak to the media. Mumbai-based Nayara, Seven Islands and GESCO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lack of access to ships is hampering efforts by the Indian refiner to sell its refined-fuel stocks, which are building up. The EU sanctions package unveiled on July 18 against Russia and its energy sector have forced Nayara to reduce operations at its 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery due to storage constraints, Reuters reported earlier on Tuesday. Privately held Nayara, which runs India's third-biggest refinery at the port of Vadinar in the western state of Gujarat, controls nearly 8% of the country's total refining capacity of about 5.2 million bpd. Nayara, majority-owned by Russian entities including oil major Rosneft, exports refined products and also supplies them domestically. Nayara operates more than 6,000 fuel stations.
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Is THIS Trump's secret weapon to stop China invading Taiwan? Game-changer PRSM missile to wipe out Xi's armada is tested
A GAME-CHANGING new weapon has been successfully tested by the US as they continue to warn China against attacking Taiwan. Donald Trump has overseen the creation of the precision strike missiles (PrSMs) which are capable of wiping out Xi Jinping's whole armada should the despot launch an invasion . 9 9 9 9 Washington and its allies have been trying to fend off a looming Chinese attack on their neighbours. Beijing has been staging war drills and sending terrifying threats to the self-governed island for years now. In recent months the US has voiced serious concerns around what China is planning with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warning an attack is "real and imminent". Hegseth said communist Beijing is "rehearsing for the real deal" and described the looming threat as a "wake-up call" for the world. Part of America's deterrence has seen them help to build a weapon capable of obliterating Chinese warships and aircraft carriers should a conflict ever spark in the region. The PrSMs have just been tested in Australia with the successful launch seeing it strike a target more than 190 miles away. It marks the first time the 13ft Lockheed Martin-manufactured weapon has been used by a US ally. The design means it can be fired by either US-made HIMARS launchers or British MLRS artillery systems. Despite only reaching 190 miles during testing, designers say the missiles have a range of more than 300 miles. Ukraine currently uses the ATACMS missiles to fend off Vladimir Putin's Russia but these only have a maximum range of 190 miles. Another major milestone for the PrSMs is the speeds they reach. In Australia, the missile managed to soar past 4,000kmph- a remarkable 300kmph faster than the ATACMS. Each missile launch pod will also be able to carry two of the precision missiles at any time, according to Alex Miller, the US Army's chief technology officer. Miller also proudly announced the PrSM is less susceptible to jamming meaning it has a far greater efficiency. It is expertly able to disguise itself through the air and go undetected until it is too late. Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, was full of praise for the new weapon. He said: "It really creates a challenge for our adversaries, because where that system is now, it may not be there in 30 seconds or five minutes. "That's a real detection and targeting dilemma." 9 9 Future upgrades to the missile are already in the works with developers hoping to exceed 300 miles and to integrate improved sensors and advanced warheads. China themselves have been working to assemble their own high-tech arsenal of weapons should a total war erupt. Vast improvements to their stealth bombers, missiles and drones have all taken place recently. A new Chinese drone carrier that can launch deadly swarms against enemy targets has already been readied for takeoff. This unmanned "drone mother ship" has been created as part of a terrifying drive to boost the Chinese air force's combat capabilities. With Xi even organising a set of "Terminator troops" to fight till the death. Beijing may be planning to genetically-modify its soldiers for an army of super troops, a defence think tank has warned. Experts at Rusi say GM soldiers could be faster, stronger and cleverer than their battlefield opponents and even feel no pain. Their DNA could also be adapted to help them recover more quickly from injuries or give them superior hearing and night vision. China has sought to ramp up its military capabilities in recent years. Their military buildup has been watched warily around the world, as annexing Taiwan by force draws closer. China has frequently carried out naval drills in the Taiwan Strait - which are widely seen as preparation for a potential invasion. Taiwan, known diplomatically as the Republic of China, has never been controlled by the Beijing-led People's Republic of China. But Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, has vowed to bring the island under Beijing's control soon. Any full invasion of Taiwan would likely be viewed as an attack on the US and prompt Trump's military to become directly involved in the region. The US has been the island's strongest allies for decades as their main arms supplier - and Taiwan accounts for almost half of America's key microchips. 9 9
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Is THIS Trump's secret weapon to stop China invading Taiwan? Game-changer PRSM missile to wipe out Xi's armada is tested
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GAME-CHANGING new weapon has been successfully tested by the US as they continue to warn China against attacking Taiwan. Donald Trump has overseen the creation of the precision strike missiles (PrSMs) which are capable of wiping out Xi Jinping's whole armada should the despot launch an invasion . Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Australia successfully test-fired the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) for the first time Credit: Defence Industry Europe/CPL Cameron Pegg. 9 The PrSMs struck a target more than 190 miles away 9 China's Xi Jinping has vowed to take over Taiwan 'by force' if necessary despite the US threats Credit: Alamy 9 Washington and its allies have been trying to fend off a looming Chinese attack on their neighbours. Beijing has been staging war drills and sending terrifying threats to the self-governed island for years now. In recent months the US has voiced serious concerns around what China is planning with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth warning an attack is "real and imminent". Hegseth said communist Beijing is "rehearsing for the real deal" and described the looming threat as a "wake-up call" for the world. Part of America's deterrence has seen them help to build a weapon capable of obliterating Chinese warships and aircraft carriers should a conflict ever spark in the region. The PrSMs have just been tested in Australia with the successful launch seeing it strike a target more than 190 miles away. It marks the first time the 13ft Lockheed Martin-manufactured weapon has been used by a US ally. The design means it can be fired by either US-made HIMARS launchers or British MLRS artillery systems. Despite only reaching 190 miles during testing, designers say the missiles have a range of more than 300 miles. Ukraine currently uses the ATACMS missiles to fend off Vladimir Putin's Russia but these only have a maximum range of 190 miles. Taiwan troops use UNDERGROUND network to outsmart a Chinese invasion in unprecedented drills Another major milestone for the PrSMs is the speeds they reach. In Australia, the missile managed to soar past 4,000kmph- a remarkable 300kmph faster than the ATACMS. Each missile launch pod will also be able to carry two of the precision missiles at any time, according to Alex Miller, the US Army's chief technology officer. Miller also proudly announced the PrSM is less susceptible to jamming meaning it has a far greater efficiency. It is expertly able to disguise itself through the air and go undetected until it is too late. Brad Bowman, a senior director at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, was full of praise for the new weapon. He said: "It really creates a challenge for our adversaries, because where that system is now, it may not be there in 30 seconds or five minutes. "That's a real detection and targeting dilemma." 9 Experts have been full of praise for the effectiveness of the new weapon 9 Armoured amphibious units from China have been spotted practising naval formation in the latest threats to Taiwan 9 Future upgrades to the missile are already in the works with developers hoping to exceed 300 miles and to integrate improved sensors and advanced warheads. China themselves have been working to assemble their own high-tech arsenal of weapons should a total war erupt. Vast improvements to their stealth bombers, missiles and drones have all taken place recently. A new Chinese drone carrier that can launch deadly swarms against enemy targets has already been readied for takeoff. This unmanned "drone mother ship" has been created as part of a terrifying drive to boost the Chinese air force's combat capabilities. With Xi even organising a set of "Terminator troops" to fight till the death. Beijing may be planning to genetically-modify its soldiers for an army of super troops, a defence think tank has warned. Experts at Rusi say GM soldiers could be faster, stronger and cleverer than their battlefield opponents and even feel no pain. Their DNA could also be adapted to help them recover more quickly from injuries or give them superior hearing and night vision. China has sought to ramp up its military capabilities in recent years. Their military buildup has been watched warily around the world, as annexing Taiwan by force draws closer. China has frequently carried out naval drills in the Taiwan Strait - which are widely seen as preparation for a potential invasion. Taiwan, known diplomatically as the Republic of China, has never been controlled by the Beijing-led People's Republic of China. But Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sees Taiwan as a breakaway province, has vowed to bring the island under Beijing's control soon. Any full invasion of Taiwan would likely be viewed as an attack on the US and prompt Trump's military to become directly involved in the region. The US has been the island's strongest allies for decades as their main arms supplier - and Taiwan accounts for almost half of America's key microchips. 9 Donald Trump and Xi Jinping pictured in 2019 in Japan Credit: AFP
