India, China to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this year; key steps to strengthen bilateral ties announced

India and China have decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025, announced India's foreign ministry on monday.

"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," said the official press release.

The measures come post foreign secretary Vikram Misri's recent visit to Beijing. Held on January 26-27, the visit was centered around the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism meeting, where both sides reviewed the state of bilateral ties and discussed a series of people-centric initiatives aimed at rebuilding mutual trust and cooperation.


The meeting was in line with the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan in October 2024. Their talks had laid the groundwork for a comprehensive review of the bilateral relationship, which culminated in several key decisions to address long-standing issues and strengthen ties in the coming years.

Resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2025

One of the landmark decisions emerging from the talks was the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025. Both India and China recognised the importance of this pilgrimage for people-to-people exchanges, with plans to discuss the logistics and modalities through the relevant mechanisms as per existing agreements.

The Yatra, which allows Indian pilgrims to visit the sacred Kailash Mansarovar region in Tibet, has been suspended in recent years.

Hydrological data sharing and trans-border river cooperation

In addition to religious exchanges, both sides agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism. The primary agenda for the meeting will be the resumption of the provision of hydrological data, a critical component for managing shared water resources from trans-border rivers. This cooperation is vital for ensuring water security in regions affected by shared river systems.

Boosting people-to-people exchanges

The discussions also centered around measures to promote deeper people-to-people interactions, including media and think-tank engagements. Both sides expressed their commitment to resume direct air services, a step that could significantly improve connectivity between India and China.

Public diplomacy and 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations

Looking ahead, the two sides agreed to focus on public diplomacy efforts in 2025 to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China. The year will witness a series of commemorative activities aimed at fostering greater understanding and trust among the public. Both countries expressed a shared commitment to using this milestone as an opportunity to promote stronger ties.

Addressing economic and trade concerns

The two sides also took stock of the existing mechanisms for functional exchanges, particularly in the economic and trade sectors.

Specific concerns related to trade imbalances and economic cooperation were discussed, with a focus on resolving these issues and ensuring greater policy transparency and predictability in the long term.