Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL), a public sector corporation run by the Indian Railways, has dissolved project contracts assigned to Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group, showing weak work progress.
The Chinese company was meant to complete the signaling and telecommunication work the 417 km long between Kanpur-Deen Dayal Upadhyaya section. The project cost was Rs 471 crore. The decision was taken because the Chinese firm had only completed 20% of the work in the last four years and also could not provide engineers/authorized personnel at the site which was a serious constraint.So,Indian Railways cancelled the project.
Earlier today, The Telecom Ministry has also ordered BSNL, MNTL and other private companies to ban all Chinese deals and equipment. They have also asked to avoid Chinese equipment in up-gradation. The decision by the Telecom ministry could play a major role in the 4G up-gradation purchases by its subsidiaries.
The Indo-China standoff has prompted anti-China sentiments in India, with protesters and some trade bodies like CAIT calling for a boycott of Chinese products in protest to border standoff.
Chinese PLA killed twenty Indian Army personnel in a face-off in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on the night of June 15-16. Four more Indian soldiers, who were in critical condition, are now stable.
China has not denied claims that there were casualties on its side too. In a brief statement yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India wants peace, but can give a befitting reply if instigated. He has called an all-party meet on June 19 to discuss the situation.