60 Chinese experts visiting desi mobile company told to leave India

MUMBAI: A mobile phone manufacturer implementing the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative recently learned that around 60 Chinese experts visiting its Daman and Silvassa plants were asked by the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) to “leave India” immediately for ostensible violations of business visas. The company approached the Bombay high court on Wednesday to question the validity of the “drastic notices”.
Nausher Kohli, the company’s counsel, appeared before a bench of Justices B P Dharmadhikari and Sarang Kotwal to seek an urgent hearing before the Christmas vacation as the Chinese nationals have been directed to leave India immediately—some have already left even though their visas are still valid. The bench took the urgency into account and posted the matter for hearing on Friday. Kohli said they were visiting plants of Pacific Cyber Technology on business visas. “The notices have been issued to 60 Chinese nationals without providing them and petitioners an opportunity to be heard.”
The Chinese nationals were sent by the company’s joint venture partner, its customers and suppliers from abroad. The plants are recipients of the ministry of electronics and information technology’s modified special incentive package scheme, the petition stated. These plants design, develop and assemble mobile phones and are “committed to the government’s Make in India movement,” it further stated.
Some of the Chinese nationals have valid visas till December 20, some till December 27 while the longest validity is May 2019. Almost all were on a 180-day business visa. One leave India notice that the FRRO issued on December 15 to one of the 60 Chinese nationals read: “Consequent upon the field inspection on December 4 at M/s Pacific Cyber technology Pvt Ltd, Athal, you…were found working on machine, therefore you have violated the condition laid down for B-1 visa granted to you.”
The FRRO officer, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, added, “Now, you are hereby directed to leave India immediately for misuse of B-visa, otherwise action will be initiated against you under Foreigners Act and Rules.” The company has its registered office in Mumbai and its mobile manufacturing units are in Daman and Silvassa. Its majority shareholders are based in Hong Kong.
It has manufactured “5.5 million phones” in the past seven months. “Experts visit the plants to impart training on running highly sophisticated machines effectively and to detect defective machines on the machine line itself,” stated the petition. Customer and supplier representatives also visit to ensure that the quality requirements are met.
The petition said their “entire industry is dependent on such visits by technical experts and representatives”. Seeking expert advice or training is considered “an essential norm” in the mobile phone industry since the past two years.