• 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.

• PM says expats send $38bn yearly, aiding economy.
• says Migrants’ real strength is in their skills and determination.
• Adds govt working through EU Talent Partnerships, bilateral pacts.

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday said more than 12 million overseas Pakistanis were a valuable national asset, being the ambassadors of our homeland’s potential and culture and serving as a strong bridge between Pakistan and other nations.

“Their remittances, exceeding $38 billion annually, provided key support to the national economy and were a source of livelihood for millions of families, adding, however, that the real strength of these migrants lies in their skills, hard work and determination,” the PM said in a message on the International Migrants Day, which is observed on December 18.

“The Government of Pakistan is focused on imparting skills and technical education to those going abroad, as success in today’s global economy requires not only technical expertise but also social skills and proficiency in various languages.”

He said that to meet such requirements, the government was aligning the technical and vocational training system with the international standards. In this context, the government was promoting social training, diverse skills and foreign language education so that its workforce could meet the demands of the modern age.

Today, the prime minister said Pakistan joined countries around the globe in paying tribute to the courage, resilience, sacrifices, and invaluable contributions of those individuals who left their homelands to make a living in other countries.

“This year, International Migrants Day is being observed under the theme ‘My Great Story: Cultures and Development.’ This theme highlights the reality that human mobility on a large scale proves to be a useful source of prosperity and benefits,” PM Office Media Wing in a press release, quoted the prime minister as saying.

The prime minister observed that the movement of people from diverse social backgrounds enriched societies culturally and promoted innovation and creativity within communities.

“When a multicultural society is based on the principles of cooperation, dignity and rights, it advances sustainable and long-term development,” he added.

He said through the European Union Talent Partnership, as well as memoranda of understanding concluded with various countries, Pakistan was establishing an organised system to ensure international recognition of the skills of overseas Pakistanis and the protection of their rights.

Furthermore, he highlighted that the drafts of the National Emigration and Welfare Policy and the National Reintegration Policy ensured that every individual going abroad experiences a safe, secure and dignified journey at all stages.

The prime minister stressed upon renewal of their commitment to play a role in empowering those who were forced by circumstances to seek job opportunities abroad, by equipping them with skills and ensuring safer, more dignified opportunities, so that the shared journey of development might bring dividends.