India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens starting from 24 July, its embassy in China announced on Wednesday, marking the first time in five years that such visas will be granted amid a thaw in relations between the two Asian giants.
The move comes as both countries seek to mend a strained relationship that worsened in 2020 following a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan frontier. The confrontation led India to take several retaliatory steps, including curbing Chinese investments, banning over 200 popular Chinese apps, and reducing passenger connectivity.
China, for its part, suspended visa issuance for Indian citizens and most other foreign nationals during the COVID-19 pandemic. While Beijing resumed issuing student and business visas to Indians in 2022, tourist visas for Indian nationals remained restricted until March this year, when both sides agreed to restart direct air links.
Wednesday’s decision reflects continued efforts at rapprochement. Relations between the two countries have shown signs of improvement, with several high-level meetings held over the past year. Notably, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Russia in October.
Despite these diplomatic strides, longstanding issues remain unresolved. India and China share a 3,800 km (2,400-mile) border, a source of friction since the 1950s. The two nations fought a short but fierce war in 1962, and decades of negotiations have yielded only limited progress.
India’s foreign minister recently reiterated that the path to full normalisation hinges on resolving ongoing border disputes. In talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, he stressed the need to de-escalate tensions, pull back troops, and refrain from “restrictive trade measures” to foster stability.
The resumption of tourist visas is viewed as a significant confidence-building step, signalling both countries’ readiness to move beyond the recent period of hostility and cautiously rebuild bilateral ties.
Follow us on:
