Hundred and seventeen Chinese nationals were deported from India between 2019-2021, the Centre told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The government said that 81 Chinese nationals were given a “Leave India Notice” and 726 were placed on the adverse list for violating visa conditions and other illegal acts.

The information was provided by Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in response to a question by Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh. The MP had sought information on Chinese citizens living in India without visas.

In his answer, Rai said some foreign nationals overstayed their visa period because of ignorance or under other circumstances such as a medical emergency or other personal reasons.

“In genuine cases…the period of overstay is regularised after charging the penalty fees and visa is extended if required,” he told the House. “Where overstay is found to be intentional or unjustifiable, appropriate action is taken as per the Foreigners Act 1946.”

Indo-China tensions

India and China have been locked in a border standoff since their troops clashed in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. Twenty Indian soldiers were killed in the clash. China had put the number of casualties on its side at four.

So far, India and China have held 15 rounds of commander-level talks to resolve the conflict along the border. The last meeting was held on March 12 in which both sides agreed to maintain “security and stability” on the ground.

Since last year, India has also been carrying out investigations against Chinese firms operating in the country.

In May 2021, India had excluded Huawei and another Chinese telecom vendor ZTE from conducting trials of 5G technology in India.

Subsequently, in December that year, the Income Tax department conducted searches at the premises of several Chinese smartphone brands such as Xiaomi and Oppo. The officials claimed that they had found irregularities worth Rs 5,500 crore in two companies manufacturing Chinese mobile phones.

The Enforcement Directorate, too, has accused Vivo India, the Indian subsidiary of Chinese smartphone manufacturer Vivo, of transferring almost half of its profits made from sales to China to fraudulently show that the smartphone manufacturer had incurred losses.