India and China made a joint announcement on Monday regarding the revival of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage along with a plan to reinstate direct flights, marking a significant step towards normalizing relations following the completion of the disengagement process in eastern Ladakh over two and a half months ago.
The breakthrough came after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, where various bilateral issues were discussed. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced that both sides agreed to convene a meeting of experts to discuss resuming hydrological information sharing and river-related cooperation.
During his visit, Misri also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China. The MEA noted that Misri and Sun conducted a systematic review of bilateral ties, emphasizing the need for people-focused policies to stabilize and rebuild relations.
Key Announcements:
- Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to resume in summer 2025
- Direct air connectivity to be restored between both nations
- Hydrological data sharing and river cooperation to be discussed at expert-level meetings
- Focus on strengthening media and cultural exchanges
The timing is significant as 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China. Both nations aim to use this milestone to enhance public diplomacy and restore mutual trust. The developments follow recent high-level engagements, including NSA Ajit Doval's visit to Beijing and the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi in Kazan in October 2023.
The restoration of these connections comes after their suspension in 2020. Following the successful disengagement at the last two friction points – Depsang and Demchok – in eastern Ladakh, both nations have resumed patrolling activities in these areas after a four-and-a-half-year hiatus.
The progress in bilateral relations emphasizes India's consistent position that the relationship with China hinges on maintaining peace in the contested border regions, while working towards a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable settlement of the overall boundary dispute.
