Following the outbreak of the Coronavirus in China, India has announced that it is temporarily suspending e-Visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners living in China. The virus has gravely affected China with over 15,000 people affected and over 300 deaths reported. The Coronavirus has spread to over 25 countries with cases registered in India, the US and the UK, among others. The temporary suspension could affect travellers coming to India for the 2020 Auto Expo in Delhi this week. The Expo witnesses a major influx of Chinese players scheduled to announce their arrival in India's auto sector.
A statement from the Indian embassy in Beijing read, "Due to certain current developments, travel to India on e-visas stands temporarily suspended with immediate effect. All those who have a compelling reason to visit India may contact the Embassy of India in Beijing or the Indian consulates in Shanghai or Guangzhou, as well as the Indian Visa Application Centres in these cities."
Given the grave situation, the India airlifted about 654 stranded Indians from Wuhan in China last week. The Indian nationals are currently placed in a quarantine area in Manesar, Haryana, over the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, MG Motor India has taken cognizance of the issue at hand and announced that the Coronavirus outbreak could cause a disruption in supply chain from Europe and Chinese/Asian suppliers.
Gaurav Gupta, Chief Commercial Officer, MG Motor India, said, "We expect significant disruption in supply chain from European and Chinese/Asian suppliers and our sales may get impacted in February due to the Corona virus, as our inventory levels have been minimum because of the bookings backlog. We are working towards ensuring that the impact on the end-consumer and our operations is minimised.”
Morris Garages is owned by China's SAIC and the Coronavirus could see the brand's global supply chain being affected. Moreover, other automakers too sourcing components and ancillaries from China could be affected by the outbreak.
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