India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2025, this coming summer. The new development comes after a meeting between the Foreign Secretaries of India and China, three months after a negotiation of disengagement of military standoff, easing tensions at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri was on a two-day visit to Beijing that ended on Monday. He met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to review the state of India-China bilateral relations, agreeing to take people-centric steps to stabilize and rebuild ties.

The move is considered to be a big one, significant in improving the otherwise cold relations between the neighboring nations.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct flights between India-China were halted since the COVID-19 pandemic. The tensions only growing, with the Chinese side not making a deal further. The clash between the armies at Galwan Valley added fuel to the already rousing tensions between New Delhi and Beijing. The agreement ensures a resumption of direct flights between the countries, starting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, revival of the mechanism at trans-border rivers and an increase in people to people exchange.

In a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it is said, “The two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements.”

Further it said, “The two sides agreed to take appropriate measures to further promote and facilitate people-to-people exchanges, including media and think-tank interactions. They agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries; the relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date.”

It added, “Specific concerns in the economic and trade areas were discussed with a view to resolving these issues and promoting long-term policy transparency and predictability.”

This meeting was followed after the meetings between External Affairs minister of India S. Jaishankar and his counterpart from China Wang Yi in November owing to the G20 Leaders Summit in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Also, the December meeting of the Special Representatives Format between National Security Advisor of India Ajit Doval and Wang Yi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping had also met at the BRICS Summit 2023 in Kazan, Russia.