Prime Minister Narendra Modi today in his address to students at Tsinghua University announced that Chinese tourists will be granted e-visas -- something that was not mentioned in the joint statement between India and China released earlier in the day.


But, says Sheela Bhatt/Rediff.com,  according to an MEA source, "There is no goof-up over the e-visa issue with China. India has taken the decision. The decision to grant e-visa to Chinese tourists is not a consequence of (high-level) talks."


What the MEA source tried to suggest is that Prime Minister Modi's announcement of granting e-visa to the Chinese is final.


And, Chinese tourists and businessmen have reason to rejoice because when the visa regime is relaxed it adds to the level of mutual trust, increases people-to-people contacts and also brings business on both sides.