In a significant step toward improving bilateral relations, India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been suspended since 2020. The decision was announced during a meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage of immense spiritual importance to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Bon followers, will resume in the summer of 2025. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated, “The relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements.”
Key Agreements from the India-China Meeting
Resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: The pilgrimage will restart in 2025, with details to be finalized through bilateral discussions.
Direct Flights Between India and China: Both sides agreed in principle to resume direct flights, suspended since the pandemic, to boost connectivity.
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Trans-Border Cooperation: The nations agreed to convene an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resuming the exchange of hydrological data and other cooperation on trans-border rivers.
Strengthening Bilateral Ties
The meeting, part of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism, aligns with agreements reached between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their October 2024 meeting in Kazan, Russia. Both sides have committed to stabilizing and improving relations.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025, India and China will undertake public diplomacy efforts to foster mutual trust and awareness. A series of commemorative events will promote people-to-people exchanges, including interactions between media and think tanks.
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“The two sides recognize that 2025…should be utilized to redouble public diplomacy efforts,” the MEA said in its statement.
India and China also discussed resuming dialogues on critical areas like economic and trade policies to enhance policy transparency and ensure long-term stability. The development follows the successful disengagement of troops in Depsang and Demchok in Ladakh in October 2024, where both nations agreed to conduct weekly patrols in the region.
Implications for Regional Cooperation
The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights marks a renewed focus on people-to-people connectivity. This development is expected to strengthen ties between the two Asian giants, particularly ahead of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
