India issues warning to citizens about travel to China

The Ministry of External Affairs has advised Indian citizens to exercise utmost caution when traveling to or transiting through China. New Delhi made the announcement on Monday (December 8), more than two weeks after an Indian woman from Arunachal Pradesh was detained at the Shanghai airport. The Chinese authorities refused to recognize her Indian passport as valid when she went to transit at the Shanghai airport on her way to Japan.

At the weekly briefing on Monday, Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jawasyal said, “We hope that the Chinese authorities will provide assurances that Indian citizens traveling through Chinese airports will not be selectively targeted, arbitrarily detained or harassed. At the same time, the Chinese side will respect the rules governing international air travel. The Ministry of External Affairs advises Indian citizens to exercise utmost caution while travelling to China.’

In response to questions from reporters in New Delhi, Jaiswal further said, ‘We have repeatedly said that Arunachal Pradesh is and will remain an important part of India. We do not want any interference in it.

Regarding China-India relations, he said that the relationship is gradually moving in a positive direction and we want to take it forward in that direction.

On the other hand, the British government has recently taken strict steps against the Khalistanis. The British government has imposed sanctions on a person named Gurpreet Singh Rehal and an organization named ‘Babbar Akali Lahar’ on charges of being involved in terrorism. The UK police confirmed that this controversial organization is part of a Khalistani organization called ‘Babbar Khalsa International’.

In this context, Randhir Jaiswal said, ‘We welcome the UK government’s move to ban anti-India extremist entities, which will strengthen the global fight against terrorism and extremism. This will help stop illicit financial flows and transnational crime networks.’