Maharashtra Puts 3 Chinese Projects on Hold After Ladakh Face-Off

The Ministry of External Affairs has advised the state govt against signing any agreements with Chinese companies.

File photo of Shiv Sena Chief and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray.

(Photo: IANS)

Amid the ongoing India-China tensions in the western sector of border in Ladakh, Maharashtra government has put on hold three major agreements, worth Rs 5,020 crore, signed with Chinese companies at the recently concluded Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0 investor meet.

"The companies - Hengli Engineering, PMI Electro Mobility Solutions joint venture with Foton and Great Wall Motors - (had) signed the deal to invest in Talegaon, Pune district," said State Industries Minister Subhash Desai.

He further added that the decision was taken in consultation with the Central government.

"We have taken this decision in consultation with the Central government. These agreements were signed prior to the development on the Indo-China border and killing of 20 Indian soldiers," Desai added.

The Ministry of External Affairs has advised the state government against signing any further agreements with Chinese companies, he confirmed.

At the online Magnetic Maharashtra 2.0 meet, the state government had signed agreements worth over Rs 16,000 crore with global companies including Chinese groups.

They include a Rs 3,770 crore MoU with the Great Wall Motors to set up an automobile manufacturing unit in Pune's Talegaon and a Rs 1,000 crore in partnership with Foton (China) and PMI Electro Mobility.

Besides, Henglu Engineering made a commitment of Rs 250-crore for the expansion plans at its unit Phase II in Pune.

Apart from China, the state signed around nine other MoUs with companies from the US, South Korea, Singapore and various domestic entities, with huge employment generation potential.

According to NDTV, at the all-party meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had said, "India wants peace but that doesn't mean we are weak. China's nature is betrayal. India is Mazboot (strong) not Majboor (helpless)."

Earlier, Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation of India (DFCCIL), a corporation run by the Ministry of Railways, also terminated the contract with Beijing National Railway Research and Design Institute of Signal and Communication Group Co Ltd.

(With inputs from IANS & NDTV)