Entertainment
India streamlines visa rules in boost for Chinese professionals
- India’s Department for Promotion of Industry launches new digital platform.
- Companies can generate sponsorship letters to invite foreign professionals.
- Visa forms simplified, and extra ministry approvals are no longer needed.
NEW DELHI: India has reformed its business visa regime to ease movement of foreign engineers and technicians, the government said in a statement, which will be a boost to local firms leaning on Chinese professionals for manufacturing services.
India’s Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade said late on Wednesday that it had launched a new digital platform last month for companies to generate sponsorship letters to invite foreign professionals, has simplified visa forms, and will no longer ask relevant ministries for additional recommendations.
The visas have been eased for factory installation, commissioning, maintenance, and production, among other functions. Indian businesses predominantly depend on Chinese professionals for such services and to train local staff, especially in factories that deploy Chinese machinery.
Reuters reported last week that India has cut red tape to speed up visas for Chinese professionals in signs of improved ties between the two nations.
India had blocked virtually all Chinese visits after the nuclear-armed neighbours clashed on their Himalayan frontier in mid-2020, widening its vetting of business visas beyond the home and foreign ministries.
The removal of red tape comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China this year for the first time in seven years, meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and discussing ways to improve ties.
In the face of punishing US tariffs, Modi has cautiously rekindled ties with Beijing.
Think tank the Observer Research Foundation estimates the tougher scrutiny on visas led to production losses of $15 billion over four years to Indian electronics makers, which import key machinery from China.
Major Chinese electronics companies, such as Xiaomi, have also struggled to get visas. Industry executives have said such curbs hit their plans to expand in India, while the solar industry was also hit by shortages of skilled labour.
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s son, Nick Reiner, who is currently under arrest at the Los Angeles prison, appears to be no stranger to the police, as he has a record of complaints over the years.
In the wake of the famed director and his wife’s murder and the allegation against his son, police have revealed a string of reports about the couple reaching out to them.
The police records suggest that the family made at least five calls to the LAPD in the past six years, in 2013, 2014, 2017, and twice in 2019. The sixth and the most recent call was on December 14, when the police discovered the When Harry Met Sally director and his wife’s dead bodies at their Brentwood house.
According to a police source, the Reiners asked for help regarding mental health emergencies, threat of violence, as well as battery, as per a Daily Mail report.
It was previously reported that Nick had a schizophrenia diagnosis, and after his time at rehab, he moved in with his parents, where he continued to struggle to stay off drugs, but his parents did their best to help him.
King Charles’ personal gesture toward a humanitarian cause has come to light just days before his annual Christmas broadcast.
His Majesty recently made a “personal donation” to World Jewish Relief, the charity confirmed on December 22, noting that the contribution arrived at a critical moment as the war in Ukraine continues to devastate lives. The donation was revealed ahead of the King’s Christmas address, which was recorded this year in the Lady Chapel at Westminster Abbey in London.
“We’re proud to share that World Jewish Relief has received a donation from His Majesty The King and the King Charles III Charitable Fund to support our humanitarian work in Ukraine,” read a statement by the organisation. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for supporting Ukraine and World Jewish Relief.”
World Jewish Relief, which supports those affected by the conflict in Ukraine as well as refugees who have resettled in Britain, has provided aid to more than 375,000 people across nearly 400 towns and cities in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion began in February 2022.
Its work includes mental health support, help rebuilding livelihoods, and repairs to homes damaged by missile and drone attacks. In the UK, the charity has also assisted more than 14,000 Ukrainian refugees with learning English and finding employment.
The King has had a longstanding relationship with World Jewish Relief, dating back over two decades. He became the charity’s patron in 2015 after years of involvement, including visits to Jewish communities in Poland and support for rebuilding Jewish life in Krakow.
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