BEIJING — India and China are moving forward with preparations to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this summer, marking the first time the pilgrimage will take place since its suspension in 2020. The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed on Monday that both countries are actively coordinating to reopen the sacred pilgrimage route.
Describing the Yatra as a vital component of cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two nations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasized the spiritual importance of Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar for multiple faiths, including Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism.
“As agreed between China and India, the pilgrimage will resume this summer. The two sides are advancing relevant preparations at the moment,” Guo stated during a routine press briefing in Beijing. He also highlighted that this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between India and China, adding, “China stands ready to work with India to implement the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries and to advance relations on the track of sound and stable development.”
India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week announced the pilgrimage would take place between June and August 2025. According to the MEA, five batches of 50 pilgrims each will travel via Uttarakhand’s Lipulekh Pass, while another 10 batches of 50 pilgrims each will cross through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass.
Applications for the Yatra are now being accepted through the government portal (kmy.gov.in), with participants selected via a “fair, computer-generated, random and gender-balanced” process. The MEA noted that the entire application and selection process has been fully computerized since 2015 to ensure transparency.
“Applicants do not need to send letters or faxes to seek information,” the ministry added. “Feedback options on the website can be used for inquiries, suggestions, or observations.”
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage revered by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and followers of Bon, has been on hold since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Negotiations to resume the Yatra have been ongoing since early this year, with both governments working to finalize logistical details.
The recent push to resume the Yatra follows a high-level meeting in January between India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, as part of a bilateral mechanism to review and stabilize relations. That meeting, which came after discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024, focused on enhancing people-centric initiatives to rebuild ties strained in recent years.
In addition to the Yatra, both countries have agreed in principle to resume direct air services, with technical teams currently working to update the framework for flight operations between the two nations.
The Yatra, traditionally conducted via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand since 1981 and through the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim since 2015, is set to serve as a symbol of renewed cooperation and engagement between India and China, reflecting shared cultural heritage and religious significance. (Source: IANS)
