On Friday, October 7, the Ministry of External Affairs stated at a media briefing that the process for the return of Indian students to China is underway. To recall, due to Beijing's COVID-19 restrictions, thousands of Indian students were unable to return to China for over two years, as stated in a report by PTI.

Although India has been putting pressure on China to facilitate the return of Indian students so they can resume their studies, the students back home are in dismay due to the delay being caused. In this regard, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson, Arindam Bagchi, said that the process of return of Indian students to China has been kicked off.

"Our mission in Beijing continued to press and pursue the Chinese side to complete the necessary formalities to enable Indian students to return to China at an early date," the Minister said. Having said that, he has some advice for students. "I would advise the students to stay in touch with their universities for carrying out procedures for obtaining their visa and returning to China," he said and added, "Our mission and consulates in China stand ready to respond to students' requests for advice or facilitation to the best of their capabilities."