China imposes unofficial 'ban' on India sailors, claims seafarers’ union

China has imposed an unofficial ban on Indian sailors and not allowing ships with Indian crew to enter its port, claimed a seafarer workers’ union. This has led the Indian sailors to lose their jobs as companies are not recruiting them on China-bound commercial vessels, it said.

In a letter written to Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, the All India Seafarer and General Workers Union said that China is not allowing any ships with Indian crew to enter its water and as a result, “approximately 20,000 seafarers” are facing job losses.

The union further requested the higher authorities to look into the issues and requested them to save the jobs of Indian sailors. “All India Seafarer Union requesting to all the higher authorities to look into this serious issue and help us to save the job of our seafarer brothers,” the letter read.

In talks with the Times of India, the union talked about the letter it has written on the unofficial “ban” on Indian seafarers from entering Chinese waters.

Abhijeet Sangle, working president of the Union, claimed it to be China’s tactic to isolate Indian seafarers in order to provide better prospects to its sailors.