India expresses disappointment over China’s reluctance to permit stranded students’ return

India has expressed “disappointment” over China’s reluctance to permit the return of thousands of stranded Indian students, employees and their families due to the COVID-19 pandemic, describing it as an “unscientific approach” to a purely humanitarian issue.

Over 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine, and hundreds of Indian businessmen and workers along with their families have been stranded in India for over one year as China, where the pandemic was first reported in late 2019, has suspended the visa process as well as flights from India citing the COVID-19 situation.

Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri referred to the woes of these stranded Indians at the 4th High-level Track-II Dialogue on China-India Relations held virtually on September 23.