India and China's deadly Himalayan stand-off is starting to cause economic damage in the Asian powerhouses
- India and China's military stand-off is causing trade disruptions between the two countries.
- Chinese imports are reportedly piling up at Indian ports leading to supply chain disruptions, as the two countries fight on their Himalayan border.
- Many Chinese raw materials used by Indian businesses, such as pharmaceutical goods and mobile parts, are not passing entry clearance, according to Bloomberg.
- A clash between Indian and Chinese forces earlier in June led to the death of more than 20 servicemen.
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India and China's border dispute in the Himalayan region is rapidly spreading into the economy, with supply chains in both countries at threat.
Apart from an ongoing cyber stand-off, and a border clash earlier in June that led to 21 deaths, Chinese imports are stalled at Indian ports awaiting government clearance, according to a Bloomberg report.
Indian companies are known to purchase a range of raw materials from China — right from pharmaceutical ingredients meant for medical drug consumption to internal components in mobile phones.
But incoming shipments are now getting delayed and directly impeding entry of goods into the country, Bloomberg said.
Indian customs authorities have not been permitting consignments from China and have offered no explanation as to why, Dinesh Dua, chairman of India's Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council, told the news agency.
Dua said there is no other source for these goods apart from China. He told Bloomberg he has written to authorities expressing business owners' concerns about continuing operations at their factories. Factories could be forced to shut down, he suggested, if they cannot obtain the raw materials needed to produce their goods.
Indian businesses are worried they may become victims of an escalating trade war between the two economies especially after India's government announced plans to impose higher tariffs on Chinese goods, Bloomberg said.
Earlier this month, a military stand-off between the two countries led to a string of formal discussions between them in an attempt to resolve the border row. That stand-off led to the deaths of 20 Indian servicemen, and injuries to almost 50 Chinese soldiers.
Attempts to secure an agreement about ceasing hostilities have so far failed, with both nations now involved in a growing online war. India has banned the use of 59 Chinese apps after its cyber platforms reportedly faced attacks from China.