India will begin issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens from July 24, the Indian Embassy in Beijing has confirmed, according to a report by Reuters. The decision marks a significant step towards normalising bilateral relations, which have remained tense since the deadly border clash in Galwan Valley in 2020.
Earlier this year, both countries agreed in principle to resume direct flights, restart visa services, and allow Indian pilgrims to travel to Kailash Mansarovar, key steps aimed at repairing diplomatic and people-to-people ties.
Diplomatic thaw gains momentum
Following the initial agreement, India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri travelled to Beijing for a two-day visit, signalling renewed engagement at the highest levels.
“As agreed between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at their meeting in Kazan in October, the Foreign Secretary and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said in a statement issued earlier this year.
The two sides agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025. They also committed to an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss hydrological data sharing and other cooperation concerning trans-border rivers, the MEA added.
High-level talks in Beijing
More recently, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers’ delegation.
In separate talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Jaishankar underlined the importance of a long-term approach to resolving outstanding issues between the two nations.
“It is incumbent on us to address aspects related to the border, normalising people-to-people exchanges and avoiding restrictive trade measures and roadblocks,” Jaishankar posted on X (formerly Twitter) after the meeting.
“Confident that on the foundation of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity, ties can develop along a positive trajectory,” he added.
Border disengagement, but not de-escalation
India-China ties have remained strained since the Ladakh military standoff began in May 2020, culminating in a deadly clash in Galwan Valley the following month. Although both sides have since disengaged troops from major friction points, full de-escalation has yet to be achieved.
Currently, an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 troops from each side are deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan last year, which came just two days after the two sides firmed up a disengagement plan for Depsang and Demchok, was widely seen as a breakthrough. Both leaders reportedly reached a key consensus to steer bilateral ties toward 'improvement and development.'
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