India will continue to press China for return of thousands of stranded Indians: top diplomat

India will continue to take up with China the return of over 23,000 stranded Indian students, besides a large number of Indian workers and their families who are currently stranded back home for the last two years due travel restrictions imposed by Beijing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior diplomat has said.

“For our diaspora in China, the last couple of years have been particularly challenging in view of travel restrictions imposed due to the pandemic”, charge d'affaires of the Indian Embassy Dr. Acquino Vimal said during a meeting of expats on Pravasi Bharatiya Divas here on Sunday.

“Here, I would like to assure you all that we at the Embassy have never failed to raise your concerns with all the relevant authorities at every possible opportunity. We will continue to do so till we arrive at an acceptable solution,” he said.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, China stopped issuing visas for Indians in 2020 and currently, there were no flights in operation between the two countries due to which over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine in Chinese colleges as well as hundreds of Indian businessmen and their families were stranded back home.

Last year, the Ministry of External Affairs said that since New Delhi had not imposed any travel restrictions on Chinese nationals in India, Beijing should also reciprocate accordingly.