Sino-Indian Relations HOT?

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Indian Premier Manmohan Singh had perhaps said it too soon. Mr.Singh said in his message to the Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao on the occasion of Chinese national day that India was committed to promoting ties with China and within 24 hours of saying so India is now entangled in a diplomatic tug-of-war with Beijing.

India and China have locked horns over the latter issuing separate Visas to Indian citizens from the state of Jammu & Kashmir. This is being seen as a major political embargo between the two South Asian giants. China is following a separate procedure for the residents of Kashmir, who are being granted a separate visa on a piece of paper, although they are Indian nationals and hold Indian passports like all other Indian citizens.

This gains even more significance in the backdrop of recent media news about Chinese incursions to the Indian side of border which Indian Government has categorically denied. India and China are two of the world's fastest growing economy and house to 37% of mankind. India and China have a history of fighting a war in 1962 which left a lot of disputed land issues on both sides of the border.

Kashmir has been the main issue between India, Pakistan and China. Pakistan still occupies a sizable portion of Kashmir (PoK). Pakistan and China are seen as close allies and the Pakistan also does not recognize Kashmir as part of India.

The Indian Home Minister sounded stern while pointing out that there are many Chinese professional working on various projects in India on Business visa which is not legal since they need a Work permit and a supporting Visa. Recently India turned away several hundred workers from Chinese company DongFan from Kolkata after it was discovered that they had the wrong category of visas.

Though the Chinese move may directly affect only a handful of students and businessmen from the valley, it may have a bigger impact in the already tense Sino-Indian relations.