New Delhi: Thousands of Indian students who had come back from China after the outbreak of COVID-19 may now soon get a chance to resume their education as the first batch comprising many such youngsters could soon leave for the neighbouring country, Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong said on Saturday.

The governments of both countries are working in tandem to ensure that the students can complete their education.

"China welcomes Indian students. The first batch of Indian students to resume studies in China in the near future. Concerned departments of both countries are working together," said Weidong, Chinese Ambassador to India while speaking to ANI.

Thousands of Indian medical students, stuck back home due to the COVID-19 visa restrictions, have been awaiting a return to China.

China in July said that the country has made progress on facilitating the return of Indian students and is working in tandem with relevant departments to see that the first batch of Indian students can come back to study in China at the earliest.

Indian students pursuing medicine from Chinese Universities are unable to return to China to attend classes due to COVID-19-induced restrictions.

"We have been working intensively for the return of foreign students to China, as you can see. Some foreign students have already returned to China to continue their studies. As for the return of Indian students, as we have said before, the relevant departments in China and India have been in contact and made progress on this. The responsible departments in both countries will stay in close communication and work for the early return of the first batch of Indian students," Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin had said.

Earlier, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting stressed the need for expediting the process of return of Indian students to China to attend classes on an early date.

In order to facilitate the return of Indian students, Jaishankar met with Wang Yi on March 25.

Jaishankar in March had said he strongly took up with the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi the predicament of Indian students studying in China who haven't been allowed to return to that country citing COVID-19 restrictions.

The External Minister hoped that China will take a non-discriminatory approach on the issue since it involves the future of many young people. "I also took up strongly the predicament of Indian students studying in China who haven't been allowed to return citing COVID restrictions. We hope China will take a non-discriminatory approach since it involves the future of many young people," he had said.

Jaishankar said the Chinese Foreign Minister had assured him that he would speak to relevant authorities on his return to China. "Minister Wang Yi assured me that he would speak to the relevant authorities on his return on this matter. He also recognised the particular concerns that medical students have in this difficult situation," Jaishankar added.

Earlier in April, the Chinese side had expressed its willingness to consider facilitating the return of Indian students to China on a need-assessed basis, said the Indian Embassy in China.