India, China agree to resume Kailash Mansarovar yatra, border trade

India and China this week took another step toward easing bilateral ties by agreeing to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which was among six key initiatives discussed during the 23rd special representatives (SRs) meeting in Beijing.

Wednesday’s meeting was the first between special representatives in four years and followed earlier discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During the meeting between the special representatives–national security advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi–both countries also agreed on improving cross-border cooperation, resuming data sharing on trans-border rivers, and Nathula border trade.

“This was the first meeting of the SRs since frictions had emerged in the western sector of the India-China border areas in 2020. The SRs positively affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement of October 2024, resulting in patrolling and grazing in relevant areas,” the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

“Both SRs underlined the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas to promote overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship. They emphasized the need to ensure peaceful conditions on the ground so that issues on the border do not hold back the normal development of bilateral relations. … They provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade,” the statement added.

The Chinese ministry of foreign affairs noted that “substantive discussions on the China-India border issue in a positive and constructive manner” were held, and six consensuses were reached.

Doval, who also met with China’s vice-president Han Zheng to discuss further areas of co-operation, has invited the Chinese foreign minister to India for the next round of talks.

In October, New Delhi and Beijing ended a four-year military standoff in Eastern Ladakh.

Relations between the two Asian powers deteriorated sharply after the June 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley, which was the most severe military confrontation between them in decades.