China permits Indian students to return on 'need-assessed' basis
Darpan News Desk IANS, 29 Apr, 2022 12:10 PM
New Delhi, April 29 (IANS) China has allowed return of Indian students to its various universities on a "need-assessed basis", according to the Indian Embassy in China.
According to the Embassy, following the meeting of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on March 25, the Chinese side has expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of Indian students to China on a need-assessed basis.
In order to facilitate this, the Indian Embassy intends to prepare a list of such students which will be shared with the Chinese side for their consideration.
The embassy has come up with a form and requested Indian students to fill out citing their necessity.
Once the collated information is shared with the Chinese side, it would consult relevant Chinese departments and varsities to verify the list and indicate whether the identified students can travel to China to complete the course.
This coordination process would be carried out in a time-bound manner.
The Chinese side has also conveyed that eligible students should unconditionally abide by Covid-19 prevention measures, and agree to bear all expenses related to Covid-19 prevention measures by themselves.
Over 23,000 Indian students, primarily studying medicines, are stuck back home due to Covid-19 visas and flight bans by China in attempt to control spread of Covid-19.
"It is telling that no country has spoken out in Pakistan's favour after the Indian air strike," Husain Haqqani, the former Pakistani Ambassador to the US, said.
India-Pakistan tensions persisted on Wednesday as the IAF chased away intruding Pakistani fighter jets in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector with India shooting down a Pakistani F-16 which fell on the Pakistani side.
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday offered talks to India and urged that "better sense should prevail" as tensions spiked between the two nuclear-armed neighbours following an aerial engagement between their air forces.
In a video released just after his detention, Wing Commander Abhinandan was seen bloodied and blindfolded but answering questions in a composed and stoic manner.
The Pakistan Air Force failed to detect the presence of the Indian fighter jets as it was already too late for them as their surveillance system had been jammed by the IAF during its raid at Balakot militant camp early on Tuesday, sources said.
