India keeps Chinese journalists out of major defence show
Published: Tuesday, Feb 1, 2011, 19:51 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI
Amid unease over China's visa policy towards Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, India has ensured that Chinese journalists are not able to cover the upcoming 'Aero-India' international defence show in Bangalore as accreditations have been denied to them.
The Defence Ministry did not keep any slot for China in the list of countries whose journalists could apply online on its website to make them eligible to cover the event beginning February 9 to 13.
Officials said China, along with Pakistan and Iran, was also not invited to participate in the show.
The issue of Chinese journalists being unable to register for accreditation was raised by a Chinese journalist at a press conference addressed by Secretary (Defence Production) Rajkumar Singh here.
"As far as accreditation is concerned, the list of countries is given by the External Affairs Ministry. We go by their advice on these issues," Singh said in his response.
Asked why China was not invited to participate in the biennial exhibition, Singh said, "China was invited in the last edition of the show but it didn't come."
Officials said the names of China, Pakistan and Iran were not considered by the committee, which selects countries to be invited for the show.
The development comes against the backdrop of a continuing row between India and China over the latter's visa policy under which residents of Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh are given stapled visas instead of the proper stamped ones.
India keeps Chinese journalists out of major defence show - World - DNA