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Current affairs forms an important component of several competitive exams such as the UPSC Civil Services Examination, SSC CGL, Bank PO & PSU entrance tests, etc. Therefore, understanding terms/concepts/events that are in the news is critical for aspirants. We at PaGaLGuY bring you this series of articles in which we shall explain some of these important concepts/events for you.

In this article we are discussing the allotment of e-visa to Chinese Nationals by Indian government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced India’s decision to extend electronic tourist visas (e-visas) to Chinese nationals. In recent years, India has expanded its online visa program to include 44 nations. The U.S., Australia, Japan, Germany and Russia are some of the countries benefitted by this program. In May this year, China also joined the list. This effort has been taken by the Indian government to bring the population of world’s top two populated countries closer. 

      During Modi’s China visit, around 24 were agreements signed between India and China. Among those, about 13 MoU’s focus on inclusive partnership and strengthening people to people ties. This announcement will certainly boost MoUs of tourism cooperation between the two countries. This will be significant in the years 2015 and 2016 as they have been designated as ‘Visit India’ and ‘Visit China’ years respectively. In 2015, India is making preparations to around 100 million Chinese tourists who visited other foreign countries last year, spending billions of dollars on shopping.

     The announcement will be fruitful in the coming years because, China has proposed a Buddhist circuit connecting China, Nepal and Sri Lanka, to attract more tourists. As most of the Chinese population follows Buddhism, they are keen to visit Buddhist sites in India like Nalanda. Also, the Chinese government has vowed to open a route through its territory for Hindu pilgrims travelling to Mount Kailash.

The growth of tourism between the two countries will lead to economic growth and be helpful to ease political tensions and the recent border disputes between them.