Chinese companies linked to PLA come under scanner of Indian agencies

New Delhi, July 19: Security agencies are identifying Chinese companies operating in India, which have links in the past as well as present with the People's Liberation Army.

Companies such as Alibaba Group Holding Limited, Tencent Holdings Limited, Huawei Technologies Company Limited and SAIC Motor Corporation Limited have been identified, source familiar with the developments tell OneIndia.

Currently an assessment is being made to ascertain if continued operation of the companies linked with the Chinese PLA would pose any risk to national security.

The source said that Alibaba and Tencent are part of China's military civil-fusion and artificial intelligence projects. They pointed to the 2019 report of the US-China economic and security review commission which said under China's military civil fusion policy, government supported mechanisms including venture capital funds are used for leveraging the fruits of civil innovation for China's defence sector.

The move comes in the wake of heightened tensions with China. The source cited above said that the assessment is on and it is important to determine the threat as it crucial for our national security.

The Indian and Chinese military commanders have held several rounds of talks with regard to disengagement. The Chinese have been disengaging in various stand off points, but the Depsang Plains continues to pose a challenge in terms of the Chinese build up.