New Delhi: India may soon remove China from the prior referral category (PRC) for issuing of research visas, according to sources in the home ministry. This will follow a similar concession announced recently for conference visas sought by Chinese citizens.
"We are actively considering a proposal to relax restrictions for issue of research visa to Chinese nationals. By removing China from the list of PRC countries as regards research visa, we seek to facilitate research projects/assignments of Chinese scholars on Indian soil as their applications will no longer be subjected to elaborate scrutiny by the security establishment prior to clearance," said a home ministry official.
Research visas are given to research professors or scholars and participants attending research conferences/seminars/workshops.
China has seen major relaxations in its visa regime with India under the Modi government. Modi had last year announced launch of e-tourist visa facility for Chinese citizens. Around a fortnight ago, India took off China from the list of PRC country as regards conference visa.
"PRC restrictions will still apply to Chinese citizens seeking business or employment visas, apart from certain categories of even conference and research visas," said an officer of the security establishment.
The easing of visa regime with China comes even as India is trying hard to secure membership of the nuclear suppliers group (NSG), but is wary of running into a Chinese wall. China had earlier opposed NSG waiver for India in 2008. For long, China has been bracketed with Pakistan, apart from stateless persons, under the restricted category for granting of visas, which necessitates prior security clearance based on inputs and verification by intelligence agencies.
Incidentally, Beijing is yet to reciprocate with similar relaxation in its visa norms for Indian citizens.
"We are actively considering a proposal to relax restrictions for issue of research visa to Chinese nationals. By removing China from the list of PRC countries as regards research visa, we seek to facilitate research projects/assignments of Chinese scholars on Indian soil as their applications will no longer be subjected to elaborate scrutiny by the security establishment prior to clearance," said a home ministry official.
Research visas are given to research professors or scholars and participants attending research conferences/seminars/workshops.
China has seen major relaxations in its visa regime with India under the Modi government. Modi had last year announced launch of e-tourist visa facility for Chinese citizens. Around a fortnight ago, India took off China from the list of PRC country as regards conference visa.
"PRC restrictions will still apply to Chinese citizens seeking business or employment visas, apart from certain categories of even conference and research visas," said an officer of the security establishment.
The easing of visa regime with China comes even as India is trying hard to secure membership of the nuclear suppliers group (NSG), but is wary of running into a Chinese wall. China had earlier opposed NSG waiver for India in 2008. For long, China has been bracketed with Pakistan, apart from stateless persons, under the restricted category for granting of visas, which necessitates prior security clearance based on inputs and verification by intelligence agencies.
Incidentally, Beijing is yet to reciprocate with similar relaxation in its visa norms for Indian citizens.