The Finance Ministry has permitted four Chinese power equipment makers that operate factories in India to take part in government tenders for key power projects. The companies are TBEA Energy, Nanjing Electric India, New Northeast Electric India and Taikai Electric (India). They were exempted from public procurement rules that normally require firms from countries sharing a land border with India to register with Indian authorities before bidding. The June 24 order from the expenditure department states the exemption lasts two years and sets no precedent for other firms. The Power Ministry had requested the waiver in January for manufacturers with local units working on critical projects. The decision followed review by the committee of secretaries and clearance from the DPIIT registration committee. Restrictions on Chinese bidders were introduced in 2020 after clashes along the Line of Actual Control and require political and security approvals. The move follows recent adjustments to foreign direct investment rules for land-border countries. All four firms produce transformers, cables and high-voltage switchgear used in transmission networks. Chinese suppliers have supplied generation equipment to Indian thermal plants since the early 2000s, and industry groups have called for faster visa processing for Chinese technicians to avoid project delays.
