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The Indian government is working to reduce visa delays for Chinese technicians in response to complaints from businesses. The aim is to fast-track visas for engineers and technicians needed to install Chinese-made machines in Indian factories, cutting down the processing time from 4-5 months to within 30 days. The strict rules imposed on China following a border clash in 2020 have led to a decrease in Chinese visas issued by India. The government plans to streamline the visa process by allowing all companies in targeted sectors that receive government subsidies to apply for business visas for Chinese workers. However, executives still face challenges due to the visa restrictions, which have led to escalating costs and a loss of credibility for Indian firms. The border standoff with China has also resulted in a significant loss of production and job opportunities in the electronics sector. The industry acknowledges the importance of national security but emphasizes the need for skills transfer and technology absorption to achieve India's economic goals. The government's actions against Chinese firms have further impacted the industry, as fewer Chinese nationals are willing to travel to India for business opportunities. The industry remains cautiously optimistic that the matter will be resolved in a timely manner. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports on Apoorva Srivastava, India's consul-general in Toronto, told a recent Toronto gathering that India is involved in the medical tourism market in a significant way, which she said should look attractive to Canadians facing long waits for medical procedures in this country. It mentions that India has frequently struggled during the pandemic but authorities say the situation has now improved dramatically, which is reflected in a changing tourism scene.

India is aiming to attract $100 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) annually as it seeks to diversify away from China. The country's target is to average at least $100 billion over the next five years, which would be a reversal in trend after a decline in FDI last year. India is appealing to businesses looking to hedge against geopolitical tensions by spreading their operations more broadly, and companies like Apple and Samsung have already increased their manufacturing in India. However, foreign investment has not kept pace with local manufacturing growth, which is attributed to factors such as higher inflation and interest rates in developed nations, as well as geopolitical conflicts and risk perception about emerging markets. India sees significant market growth opportunities in sectors such as electric vehicles and consumer goods, and the government plans to take more steps to ease FDI rules. The government's production-linked incentive program has already helped boost manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports. The administration also has plans for new industrial corridors and is working to address delays in granting visas to Chinese vendors and professionals. [Extracted from the article]

US Trade Representative Katherine Tai has urged India to ensure that its new import requirements for tech hardware, such as laptops and tablets, do not hinder trade in the future. During her visit to India, Tai discussed various issues with India's Commerce Minister, including business visas for Indian workers and duty-free access on goods. India recently announced that it would allow imports of tech hardware without a mandatory license, but companies like Apple and Samsung still need to register for the import management system. India also reiterated its request for duty-free access to its goods and an increase in inspections by the US Food and Drug Administration. The US has become India's largest trade partner, with bilateral shipments reaching a record $137.24 billion in 2022. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Sign up for the India Edition newsletter by Menaka Doshi - an insider's guide to the emerging economic powerhouse, and the billionaires and businesses behind its rise, delivered weekly. India has informed the Canadian government that there should be parity in the nation's diplomatic presence in New Delhi and expects Canada to reduce its diplomats there. [Extracted from the article]

The article reports that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has clarified that H-1B visa holders who are laid off in the tech sector do not have to leave the country within 60 days and have multiple options to stay. It mentions that USCIS Director Ur M Jaddou said in a letter to the Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies that fired workers may wrongly assume that they have no option but to leave the country within 60 days.

The article discusses the obtaining of work visa and residence permits across Asia. These include information on visa application, visa registration, changes to business and work visas, changes to residence permit, and changes to processing time in countries such as China, India, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

(Bloomberg) -- Geopolitical tensions between India and China are beginning to hurt some of Taiwan's biggest technology companies, including suppliers to Apple Inc. and hindering New Delhi's much-vaunted incentive program for electronics manufacturing. Employment visas typically require more paperwork and background checks from India's home ministry, and could therefore be the reason for India's insistence. [Extracted from the article]

The article offers information on the adverse effects of the proposed U.S. Senate Immigration Reform bill on the Indian outsourcing industry. The proposed legislation regarding H1B visa, contains some professional rules that can change the business approach of the India-centric outsourcing providers.

CEOs of biggest IT firms will head to Washington this month Nasscom encompasses nearly 2,400 technology companies across the country but Chandrashekhar said the CEO delegation will comprise mainly chief executives of companies that are the biggest users of H-1B visas. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on impact of the visa issues on Indian outsourcing companies and plans of president-elect Donald Trump on bringing jobs back to the U.S. Topics discussed include impact on the Indian outsourcers, offering services like software coding to running business processes to the U.S. customers and presents views of Sudin Apte, chief executive officer (CEO() of research firm Offshore Insights, on the same. Particular focus on the impact on information tehnology (IT) services jobs.

The article offers information on the business leaders conference of the 5th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) held in New Delhi, India, on January 16, 2014. Anand Sharma, Minister for Commerce and Industry of India, said that India supports a liberalised regional visa regime and has increased business visa exemption stickers. He stressed in the need to establish linkages among financial institutions of the SAARC nations and build trust, cooperation and friendship.

The article reports on the approval of e-Tourist Visa (eTV) validity reforms by the Indian government and its plan to create an eTV for meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) and medical tourism and a business tourist visa for those who want to travel to India for work purposes.

The article reports that the information technology (IT) firms in India may increase client fees to soften the impact of increased fees of the U.S. work visas. Topics discussed include generation of large amount of revenue from the U.S. by the outsourcing sector in India; expected increase in the net profit of IT companies such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) and Infosys; and IT firms focusing on cloud computing services and high-margin digital technology for growth.

India benefits most from U.S. visas allowing skilled workers Trump has proposed making H1-B visas more costly for companies. [Extracted from the article]