New Delhi: India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens worldwide, ending a five-year suspension imposed following the 2020 Galwan clash. The decision marks a significant step in restoring people-to-people ties between the two nations.
The move follows a series of diplomatic developments in 2025, including the January agreement between India and China to resume direct passenger flights. Officials confirmed that a July directive formally recommended restarting tourist visas for Chinese nationals.
In June 2025, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage, halted for five years, also resumed, with the first group of Indian pilgrims crossing into Tibet. Earlier, on April 1, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations, Presidents Xi Jinping and Droupadi Murmu, along with Premier Li Qiang and PM Modi, exchanged messages reaffirming a commitment to stability.
Throughout the year, high-level diplomatic engagement intensified. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar visited Beijing in July, highlighting a gradual improvement in relations and emphasizing mutual strategic trust. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reciprocated with a visit to New Delhi in August, meeting National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and EAM Jaishankar to discuss border de-escalation and broader normalisation measures.
These developments paved the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, attending the SCO Summit in Tianjin on August 31, where he and President Xi Jinping stressed partnership over rivalry.
On November 10, direct commercial flights between New Delhi and Shanghai resumed. The Consul General of India in Shanghai, Pratik Mathur, welcomed the first batch of passengers, underscoring India’s commitment to strengthening people-to-people ties and expanding tourism and commercial exchanges.
The resumption of tourist visas and direct flights is expected to further boost bilateral tourism, trade, and cultural exchanges, signalling a new chapter in India-China relations.
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