TBM Staff - Mumbai India and China have decided to resume the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights between the two countries, signaling efforts to rebuild bilateral ties. The agreement was reached during two days of foreign secretary-level talks in Beijing, where Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri participated in discussions with his Chinese counterparts.
The yatra, a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in Tibet, has been suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and strained relations following the Galwan Valley clash. According to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, a mechanism will discuss the modalities of resuming the pilgrimage under existing agreements, with plans to restart it by summer.
Both sides also agreed in principle to resume direct air services. Technical teams from India and China will meet soon to negotiate an updated framework for these flights.
These developments are part of a broader effort to stabilize and strengthen ties, following an understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan last October. The focus remains on implementing people-centric measures to enhance bilateral relations.
The two nations also plan to convene an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resuming hydrological data sharing and cooperation on trans-border rivers.
During his visit, Foreign Secretary Misri met with key Chinese officials, including Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Liu Jianchao.
