India and China Hold Talks on Restoring Journalist Visas

Last Chinese journalist left India after being denied visa extension in 2023 and sources say both sides are working to restore reciprocity

· India has initiated discussions with Chinese media as both countries explore restoring journalist visas after reciprocal restrictions since 2023.

· Indian Embassy officials in Beijing recently met representatives of Xinhua News Agency to discuss issues of mutual interest, including media engagement.

· Chinese officials have reiterated support for expanding India–China media cooperation and called for the resumption of journalist exchanges.

· India has had no accredited Chinese journalists since June 2023 after the last Xinhua correspondent's visa was not extended.

· China had also reduced the presence of Indian journalists, though PTI continues to maintain a correspondent in Beijing, and The Hindu recently received a journalist visa.

· The journalist visa issue has emerged as part of the broader normalisation of bilateral relations following the 2020 border tensions.

· China views the return of accredited journalists as a confidence-building measure and has urged India to restore media exchanges.

· The issue is gaining importance ahead of a possible visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the BRICS Summit later in 2026, although no official confirmation has been made.

· Both countries are also seeking to revive dialogue and cooperation in areas including trade, finance, law enforcement, and media.

[ABS News Service/30.06.2026]

India has stepped up engagement with Chinese media as Beijing presses New Delhi to issue visas to its journalists ahead of a possible visit by President Xi Jinping later this year, though any breakthrough on the issue is likely to take time, according to people familiar with the matter.

The outreach includes a meeting between officials from the Indian embassy in Beijing and representatives of Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua on June 24. One person familiar with the discussions described the interaction as an initial engagement, saying any substantive progress on restoring visas for Chinese journalists would take time.

The meeting was held between Shweta Singh, minister at the Indian embassy, and Wang Jianxin, deputy director general of Xinhua’s Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Department.

In a social media post on Sunday, the embassy said the two sides had “exchanged views on issues of mutual interest”.

The Xinhua meeting is part of a broader effort by the Indian embassy to engage senior editors at leading Chinese media organisations.

When asked whether visa issues affecting Chinese journalists had been discussed during the talks, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said he was “not aware of the specific situation” but reiterated that China supported media cooperation with India.

“China has always been willing to promote cooperation with India in various fields on the basis of equality and friendship, including cooperation between relevant news organisations,” he said.

India asked the last accredited Xinhua correspondent to leave in June 2023, marking the first time since diplomatic ties were normalised in the late 1980s that China had no accredited journalists stationed there.

Beijing also reduced the presence of Indian journalists in China amid reciprocal visa restrictions. While the Press Trust of India (PTI) continues to have a correspondent in Beijing, China recently also issued a visa to a reporter from The Hindu.

Since ambassador Vikram Doraiswami, who speaks fluent Chinese, took charge in Beijing earlier this year, the embassy has stepped up efforts to improve communication channels. Doraiswami has also met journalists based in Beijing in recent weeks.

On Monday, he met Wang Liping, director general of the Department of Asian Affairs at China’s commerce ministry, to “discuss ways to strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest”.

According to another person familiar with the discussions, visas for Chinese journalists have become an important issue in the ongoing process of normalising bilateral ties after years of tensions following the 2020 border stand-off that killed 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

Beijing believes the absence of accredited Chinese journalists in India means there is little coverage of China and bilateral ties from a Chinese perspective, and has been pressing New Delhi to allow its reporters back as a confidence-building measure, the person said.

Xinhua could be among the first organisations to benefit if visas are restored, given its status as China’s official news agency and the closest equivalent to the PTI.

The journalist visa issue has become one of Beijing’s priorities as both sides seek to further improve relations and create a favourable atmosphere for a possible visit by Xi to India for the Brics summit in September.

In New Delhi to attend the Brics National Security Advisers’ meeting last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval that both sides should “accelerate the resumption of dialogue mechanisms and promote exchanges in trade, finance, law enforcement, media and other fields.”

Earlier this month, citing an increase in “misunderstanding” and “misjudgment” amid “low” and “unbalanced” people-to-people exchanges, Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong said that “just now we do not have any Chinese journalists based in India.”

Speaking at an event hosted by The Hindu, an Indian media outlet, he called the absence of Chinese journalists “detrimental to enhancing the mutual understanding and friendship between our two sides.”

He added that China was “ready to resume all the exchanges with India in various fields and at various levels” so the two sides could better understand each other and strengthen mutual trust.

Asked whether Xi would visit India later this year, Xu said: “We are fully getting prepared for this very important occasion … I hope you will keep tuned, and we will keep you informed on time.”