As border tensions ease, India to clear 45 investments from China: Report

India is set to clear 45 investment proposals from China, which are likely to include those from Great Wall Motor and SAIC Motor Corp, news agency Reuters quoted government and industry sources, as military tensions between the two countries ease at the disputed border.

The proposals have been held up since last year after India tightened controls on Chinese investment in the country in retaliation against alleged Chinese troop incursions in the western Himalayan region. China blamed Indian troops for the standoff.

About 150 investment proposals from China worth more than $2 billion were stuck in the pipeline. Companies from Japan and the U.S. routing investment through Hong Kong were also caught in the cross-fire as an inter-ministerial panel led by the interior ministry increased scrutiny of such proposals.

A federal Home (Interior) Ministry spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the proposals to be cleared.

Two government sources who have seen the list said most of the 45 proposals set for early approvals are in the manufacturing sector, which is considered non-sensitive in terms of national security.

The sources did not elaborate but two other government officials and two industry sources who are privy to the process said proposals from Great Wall and SAIC are likely to be on the list.

Great Wall and General Motors (GM) made a joint proposal last year seeking consent for the Chinese automaker to purchase the U.S. company’s car plant in India, in a deal expected to be valued at around $250-$300 million.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)