As India feels angry with China over Masood Azhar, Beijing praises Modi’s economic performance

Beijing, Feb 21: Just when India has vented anger against the dastardly attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district and also felt let down by China over its shielding of Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed that claimed responsibility for the February 14 attack, the Chinese media has come with all-out praise for the Narendra Modi government.

Reason?

India's efforts to become a business-friendly country. It has also advised Chinese enterprises to keep a watch on the changes that are happening in the Indian economy.

In a business article in China's Global Times news website, an Economic Times report was cited that said India handled inbound deals worth over $38 billion in 2018 which was more than that seen by China and it happened for the first time.

"India is moving in the right direction to make foreign investment a powerful engine for economic growth and poverty alleviation. It is the same strategy adopted by China three decades ago at the initial stage of its industrialization process," the article said.

It lauded PM Modi's reform measures and even said that foreign investment figures suggested that the prime minister has done a decent job in addressing unemployment in the country.

Recently, a massive controversy broke out over the Indian government's alleged hiding facts on unemployment that reportedly touched the highest in over four decades.

The Global Times article said the Modi government took important steps to "reform India's tax system, upgrade its bankruptcy laws and relax restrictions on foreign investment".

It said India jumped 23 places from 100 to 77 in the World Bank's latest report on the ease of doing business covering 190 countries. It said facts backed the idea that India's economic reforms are favourable to improve the business climate for foreign investment.