In a significant move to strengthen bilateral ties, India and China have decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which was halted in 2020. The two nations have also agreed in principle to restart direct flights between them. These decisions were made during a meeting between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing ¹.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is expected to resume in the summer of 2025, with the relevant mechanism discussing the modalities for its resumption based on existing agreements. Additionally, the two sides have agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss the resumption of hydrological data provision and cooperation on trans-border rivers.
The meeting between Misri and Wang Yi was a follow-up to the agreements made between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Russia’s Kazan in October. The two nations have agreed to take significant steps to stabilize and improve bilateral ties, including promoting people-to-people exchanges, media interactions, and think-tank discussions.
In 2025, India and China will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. To mark this occasion, the two sides will conduct commemorative activities to promote mutual understanding and restore trust among the public.
The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights is a positive development in India-China relations, which have been strained in recent years due to border disputes. The two nations have completed disengagement in Depsang and Demchok, and have agreed to carry out weekly patrols in these areas.