NEW DELHI, India – The Modi government may take a decision on extending e-tourist visas to Chinese at a toplevel meeting to be chaired by home secretary LC Goyal on Wednesday with the foreign secretary and the chiefs of the Intelligence Bureau and the Research & Analysis Wing.

The meeting takes place ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s maiden visit to China starting on May 14, with the PMO and the foreign ministry keen on extending the service to Chinese tourists. “The main concern remains of China persisting with the stapled visa regime for residents of Arunachal Pradesh. China needs to assure India on that count… besides the concerns of Indian agencies that Chinese spies in the garb of tourists could misuse the facility,” a senior home ministry official said.

These inputs have been placed before the top echelons of the government and Goyal, foreign secretary S Jaishankar, IB chief Dineshwar Sharma and R&AW secretary Rajinder Khanna will discuss the matter at the meeting on Wednesday at 7 PM, officials confirmed.