India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens worldwide, ending a five-year suspension imposed after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
This move follows a series of diplomatic steps in 2025, including agreements to resume direct passenger flights and revive the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage.
Indian and Chinese leaders have exchanged messages marking 75 years of diplomatic ties, signalling renewed commitment to stability. The resumption of visas is part of broader efforts to normalise relations, with officials highlighting strengthened mutual trust and cooperation.
India-China Diplomatic Relations
The suspension of visas and flights was a direct consequence of rising tensions following the Galwan clash, which severely strained India-China relations. Diplomatic efforts throughout 2025 focused on building trust and easing border tensions. External Affairs Minister S.
Jaishankar’s visit to Beijing and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s reciprocal visit to New Delhi set the tone for better communication. Prime Minister Modi’s visit to China for the SCO Summit in August, his first in seven years, led to a commitment to see each other as partners rather than rivals, laying the groundwork for restoring people-to-people links.
Why India has Suspended Visa to China
The five-year suspension of tourist visas to Chinese citizens by India was primarily imposed following the violent military clash in June 2020 at Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops.
The clash marked the most serious border confrontation between the two countries in decades, severely deteriorating bilateral relations. In response to the security threat and rising tensions, India suspended tourist visas, halted direct flights, restricted Chinese investments, and banned numerous Chinese apps.
Visa Resumption and Travel Facilitation
The decision to resume tourist visas came after an official order in July 2025 and expanded the scope beyond earlier limited openings. Indian embassies and consulates now process tourist visa applications from Chinese nationals worldwide.
Consul General Pratik Mathur welcomed the first batch of passengers arriving from New Delhi to Shanghai after direct flights resumed in November.
The revival of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in June further exemplifies efforts to open channels for religious and cultural exchanges. Officials describe these steps as “people-centric,” emphasising the importance of travel and cultural dialogue for bilateral stability.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This resumption of tourist visas signals a promising shift from conflict to cooperation, highlighting the power of diplomacy and dialogue.
Facilitating travel between India and China fosters understanding and empathy, essential for peaceful coexistence. Encouraging greater people-to-people contact through visas, flights, and cultural pilgrimages is a constructive step toward lasting peace.
News in Q&A
1. What triggered the resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals by India in 2025?
The resumption follows a five-year suspension triggered by the deadly 2020 Galwan clash along the border in Eastern Ladakh. Renewed diplomatic engagements throughout 2025, including PM Modi’s visit to China, reciprocal ministerial meetings, a military disengagement agreement in October 2024, and several people-centric confidence-building steps, created the conducive environment to restart tourist visas globally.
2. How is India processing these tourist visas for Chinese citizens and what scale does the resumption cover?
Initially, visa issuance restarted in July 2025 but limited to Chinese nationals applying through Indian missions in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. From November 2025, Indian embassies and consulates worldwide have been accepting tourist visa applications from Chinese citizens, marking a major expansion to facilitate easier travel and renew people-to-people contacts.
3. What related measures have been taken to normalise India-China relations alongside visa resumption?
Alongside visas, direct passenger flights between India and China resumed in October 2025 after a five-year halt. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage was revived in June 2025. Both countries have held commemorations for 75 years of diplomatic ties and streamlined visa procedures across traveller categories. These efforts aim to strengthen trust and cooperation between the two populous Asian neighbours.
4. How have officials and experts described the visa and travel normalisation steps?
Officials describe these initiatives as “people-centric” steps guiding normalisation and stabilisation of ties. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar noted relations moving in a positive direction with a foundation of mutual trust. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi welcomed these developments emphasizing cooperation and people-to-people exchanges. Travel federation leaders suggested reciprocal visa and travel facilitation could boost tourism, business, and bilateral confidence.
5. Why is this development significant for India-China relations and regional stability?
This visa resumption signals renewed diplomatic warmth and a step away from the low point reached after the 2020 stand-off. By facilitating travel and cultural ties, India and China enable people-to-people engagement which forms critical groundwork for peaceful coexistence and resolving longstanding border disputes. This progress highlights the role of open dialogue and mutual respect to foster enduring peace and stability in the region.
