KARACHI, Oct 20: India has banned investment in infrastructure projects of any company from Pakistan, China and Hong Kong.

According to World Cargo News, earlier there had been dormant restriction but now the Indian government has issued notification in August 2008 in this regard, thereby bringing to open their concealed and hidden policy of not allowing company of these countries to invest in infrastructure projects in India.

The World Cargo News pointed out that Hutchinson Whampoa, owners of Karachi International Container Terminal (KICT), won the bid in 2005 out of seven contenders for Bombay offshore deep water port of $400 million with J V Larson Turbo a big Indian group.

The Indian ministry of shipping delayed issuance of Letter of Intent (LoI) till end 2006 and cancelled the bids without assigning any reasons.

It further said that Larson Turbo being big Indian conglomerate threatened the ministry by legal notice then only it was revealed that Hutchinson Whampoa was a Hong Kong-based company with Chinese connection and also had terminal at Karachi thus security clearance couldn’t be given.

This year Bombay offshore deep port has been awarded to Dragados of Spain with Indian partners.

This shows how Indians are patriotic and security concerned with Pakistan and China. What a paradox in our overtures to invite Indians. Indians delayed the project by three years causing congestion at its ports but did not compromise security concern.