Leave the door wide open

A good news.Thousands of professionals and investors who are angry with China are knocking at the door.They want to come to India and do business.And they include even some Chinese.It augurs well for the country.We need investment –and urgently.We need additional job opportunities because the Coronavirus is unlikely to leave us soon and more jobs will be lost because of long stay of the virus.There is hope,though.There is also opportunity. Certain concerns,however,have to be addressed. The bureaucracy has to rise to the occasion and should be geared up for a long battle ahead.

The exact number of those who have shown interest is not available at present.It might be over ten thousand.The number may jump if the flight which has been suspended since March last following spread of Coronavirus is resumed.Large investments may be made by Japan, South, Korea,the USA and even China which is holding a series of meetings to restore peace on the Line of Actual Control or LAC.

There is dispute over the origin of the virus and some other issues.But there is unanimity on one point that that we have to live with it till a vaccine or a drug is produced.Scientists and researchers all over the World are working hard to the end the  crisis created by this pandemic,but a breakthrough is yet to be made.Clinical and human trials are on in many countries.Let us hope for the best.

The World economy has been hit by the virus.Indian economy too has been badly affected. Therefore,we should be ready to receive the foreigners promising to invest in the country with open arms.All hurdles should be removed and decision making process changed to facilitate quicker implementation of the projects.We have risen to the occasion in the past.There is always light at the end of the tunnel.We have only to keep this in mind.

The country is currently in need of foreign capital infusion.It is also in need of more and more employment opportunities.Jobs are being lost rapidly. Opportunities will be created for the unemployed only when we allow many foreigners to come and investment in the country.We provide cheap labour and have raw materials in abundance which can be tapped.The government officials are often in huddle discussing the situation and trying  to find a solution.We should also make contributions.The recovery path has roadblocks which we have to remove and move ahead,faster than before.

According to one report, a large number of foreign professionals, investors, corporate executives, engineers and entrepreneurs who had left the country for one reason or another want to come back. Some of them had their offices and industrial units operating in cities like Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Mumbai and  Bengaluru.They are all closed and are proposed to be reopened.These and other offices and units will help the country come back on track.Workers who have been thrown out of jobs will be re-employed.The country will benefit enormously.

It may be fresh in your memory that the Government of India had, on February 5 last, banned all the flights from China.The government had taken this step to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Due to this, thousands of Chinese citizens working in India who had gone to celebrate Chinese New Year were stuck there.In Delhi-Gurugram alone, more than three thousand Chinese are working in companies like Alibaba, Huawei and Oppo Mobile.Huawei probably has the highest number of Chinese professionals. They have actually faced problems on two fronts.They remained confined in China and suffered.In addition,they suffered financial losses.The government may not take the Chinese kindly but should allow the citizens of Japan, South Korea and other countries to come to India. All these are friendly nations.

India-Japan relations have  been traditionally strong.The two countries have shared a glorious past. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also have close relationship. Narendra Modi has taken his Japanese counterpart to the holy city,Varanasi. Both  participated in Ganga Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat,recently. Japan finds itself closer to India due to Lord Buddha. Japan is helping India commission the bullet train project which is special on many counts.India has been offered  loans on easy terms from Japan for this project.

Like Japan India has a close tie with South Korea. South Korea is also investing heavily in India. Now a Korean War Memorial is  being built in Delhi.In the 50s,South Korea had fought war with North Korea.As many as 22 countries, including India had  supported South Korea,but a War Memorial was missing in India.That gap is being filled.

The Government at the Centre must do something more.It should grant visas to citizens of Japan and South Korea to work in India.The country should not bracket them with countries like China and Pakistan. In addition, if we want companies wishing to move out of China after Covid- 19 to come and invest in the country,we  have to take some more measures.Mere lip service will not do. South Korean companies leaving China are moving to Vietnam.There were 15,000 South Korean in India in March last.Right now there are only around 2,500.Most of them who had gone back following breaking of pandemic are yet to return.They want to come back immediately and resume work.The government should come to their help without further loss of time.Extraordinary situation demands extraordinary measures.