India, China to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights

India and China have announced the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025, marking a significant step toward rebuilding bilateral ties. The decision, confirmed by India’s foreign ministry on Monday, comes as both nations work to restore trust and foster people-centric initiatives.

Discussions regarding the Yatra’s logistics will take place through established mechanisms under existing agreements. The sacred pilgrimage, which allows Indian devotees to visit the revered Kailash Mansarovar region in Tibet, has been suspended in recent years but remains a cornerstone of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

In addition to resuming the Yatra, both nations have agreed to restart direct flights between India and China, a move aimed at improving connectivity and boosting people-to-people interactions.

The announcement followed Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s recent visit to Beijing on January 26-27, during which he engaged in the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism meeting. The discussions addressed a range of issues, including religious, cultural, and economic exchanges, while also reviewing the state of bilateral relations.

An official statement confirmed, “The relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers.”

The meeting was part of the broader dialogue initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during their October 2024 meeting in Kazan. Their discussions laid the groundwork for addressing long-standing concerns and exploring new avenues for cooperation.

Another critical point of agreement was the resumption of hydrological data sharing and collaboration on trans-border river management. This step is expected to address shared water resource challenges and ensure sustainable management of rivers crossing the two countries.

The upcoming year will also see enhanced efforts in public diplomacy as both nations commemorate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Planned activities aim to deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges while focusing on mutual trust-building.