Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to Resume as India and China Reach Agreement

India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, both countries will restart flight services between them. This decision was made during two days of discussions at the level of foreign secretaries. To facilitate these talks, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing.

The discussions followed the understanding reached between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their October meeting in Kazan, Russia. Both sides reviewed the state of bilateral relations and agreed to take appropriate measures to stabilize and restore ties.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage to Tibet's Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake, had been halted in 2020. While the COVID-19 situation improved, no progress was made toward resuming the yatra due to tensions between the two countries. Now, both nations have decided to revive the yatra and restart flight services. Officials from both sides are set to meet soon to establish the necessary framework for implementing these decisions.