India will react strongly to China’s stapled visa policy

Kuala Lumpur : The Indian government, reacting strongly to China’s assertion that its policy of stapled visa remains unchanged, is expected to keep its defence ties with China suspended until Beijing changes its position on Jammu and Kashmir.

Indian government will convey its position to Chinese authorities in Hanoi. Indian officials expect the meeting to take place on Oct 30.

“We have always maintained our position to Chinese authorities on the issue of stapled visa,” said a top government official was quoted saying to an Indian daily from here.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said his country’s visa policy to residents of Jammu and Kashmir was consistent and stayed unchanged. The spokesman said officials of both the countries were in “touch” with each other to arrange the meeting.

China had earlier refused to give proper visa to Northern Army Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal on the ground that he was serving in ‘sensitive’ Jammu and Kashmir.

China has also been making veiled references to “human rights violations” in Jammu and Kashmir.