Thousands of expats, business leaders across border await Govt nod to enter India to resume business 

NEW DELHI: As India opens up with Unlock 1.0 with normal life getting back to new normal and markets and businesses resuming their operations despite surging COVID-19 positive graph, there is an endless wait for the international borders to open.

Thousands of expatriates, including corporate executives, engineers, and entrepreneurs await the Indian government nod to enter India and join their work as offices and production units resume their operations.

On March 13, India had suspended visas of all except for diplomatic officials, UN/internal organisations, project-visa holders, etc. This closely followed cancellation of international scheduled flights banning foreign nationals from entering India – one of the measures to check the spread of coronavirus here.

Prior to this on February 5, India had banned all passenger flights from China from entering its territory.

Many executives from Japan, South Korea, and other countries are waiting to enter India. China has already cited millions of dollars losses because of the ban on international flights.

Though on June 1, an Indian home ministry notification said it would allow four categories of foreign nationals to come to India but since then there is no word when the international flight operations would resume for India.

According to Euy Don Park, President, Korean Association in India, this is the opportune time for India to draw advantage out of the new world economic order emerging in post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario and therefore should allow foreign nationals to come to India.

“Yes, now we need to open international flights.  We have witnessed no explosive coronavirus cases increasing after lifting lockdown even though the curve has not flattened. Now is a very good time for India to take the initiative in post-Corona Economy as giving more flexibility and encouraging business activities amid the reshoring and shifting of supply chain and manufacturing base is likely to happen from a certain country,” said Euy Don Park.

About 2,500 Korean nationals staying in India returned to Korea in the last couple of months. Many who went back to Korea before the lockdown was announced in March too are stuck and want to come back and join work in India.  The total number of Koreans in India in March was 15,000.

Out of 20,000 Chinese nationals working in India in December 2019 was around 20,000 but their number has reduced to less than 2000 now.

Likewise, about 6,000 Japanese expats took special flights to go back to Japan after the lockdown was announced but many had left India before the lockdown was announced, and they want to come back. The number of Japanese nationals in India in March was around 12,000.

Recently the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCII) in India conducted a survey with its member companies in India and found that about 2500 Japanese executives are waiting for the Indian borders to open.

“About 97% of those surveyed want to come back to India. And about 300 of them want to come to India immediately to join their offices and rest approximately 2000 who want to return to cities like New Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are watchful of the Coronavirus situation here and want to return if the situation in India improves. Actually there is no clarity even at the Indian embassy in Tokyo and Consulate in Osaka about when the flights would start operating, what are the procedures and documentation required for applying fresh for fresh visas,” said Kenji Sugino, Secretary-General, JCCII.

Indian Inc is of the opinion that if India can open religious places and shopping malls for the local populace, there is no harm in allowing foreign nationals and executives to enter India for restarting their businesses.

Dikshu C Kukreja, Managing Principal, C P Kukreja Architects, New Delhi, said, “When the overall macro strategy of the country is to open up businesses and revive the economy, we need to ensure that all such steps which are going to propel the economy forward are required to be taken in a judicious manner. I believe that if we can, as a country, open up religious places and shopping malls, then certainly I don’t see a problem in allowing foreign nationals and executives to come back into the country and restart their businesses. Going forward, this step is going to be extremely important for a country that is invested in reinvigorating its businesses.”

Prolonged lockdown in India has actually irked the expats business community whose executives and engineers are stuck in their countries of origin and are unable to join work in India because of closed aviation borders for foreigners.

Tomio Isogai, the former Managing Director, Sharp India Ltd, presently a consultant to National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) said, “Many Japanese expats have gone back to Japan since last March when the lockdown took place. Now they are eagerly waiting for the opening of the scheduled flights back to India as the lockdown got lifted and no one can leave their businesses unattended, particularly for those in the management levels who feel responsible for the control over the reactivation of their operations.”

“The prolonged lockdown has left many issues unsolved and entertained, especially in the aspects of customer service and care where managerial supervision and personal touch will be required,” said Isogai, who also happens to be a well-known freelance advisor on Indo-Japanese relations, and an adjunct Faculty at MIT-ADT University.

Shiv Kothari, Director, TOKYO Store in Ahmedabad, Baroda, Pune, and Surat, says that Indian was not readying itself to draw advantage of new world order emerging out 0of Post COVID-19 global economic scenario.

“The tiny countries like Vietnam have been able to attract the maximum of the global investment while India seems to be failing to do so and turn the wing in its favour. Lockdown in India got prolonged too much. Not many developing countries resorted to lockdown as the economic growth curve was required to be maintained. It is high time that India wakes up and takes steps to attract foreign investment,” added Kothari.

Opening borders for foreigners? Be careful, and work remotely

However, there is a section of the corporate world in India that believes it is still not the right time to open aviation borders for foreigners as India is yet to achieve the peak of the rise of COVID-19 positive cases.

According to Atul Puri, Partner, Shinewing India, at the time where technology ensures that we can work remotely, I believe international flights don’t need to resume for foreign professionals keen on entering India.

“I understand that the efficiency of work might not be the same, but I think this might also be an opportunity to develop alternative ways of conducting business. We’re still at a very vulnerable stage with regard to the virus and need to hold back till a vaccine/cure is invented. And since it looks like that will take time, now would be a good time that explores newer ways of working. That being said, I am aware that the government is running Vande bharat flights for those who got stuck back home before the lockdown was imposed and I stand in favour of those flights.” Puri added.

There are ways and means to manage Unlock1.0

According to Euy Don Park, President, Korean Association in India, the work can be resumed with some strict measures in place.

“We can operate under strict discipline including taking care of sanitation, wearing the mask, and maintaining social distancing. We need to allow more business activities rather than prohibiting working and traveling with fear of Corona. Lockdown and closing businesses is no the only solution,” Park added.

And those coming to India not necessarily bring viruses with them, and there are ways and means to address the influx of foreigners.

Dikshu C Kukreja, Managing Principal, C P Kukreja Architects, said, “There are all kinds of SOPs (standard operating procedures) and quarantine measures in place and those policies can still continue to be followed so that anyone entering the country does not bring with them infections or the possibilities of the same. Foreign professionals and expats, therefore, should be allowed to enter the country with all health safety protocols in place.”