Resumption of India-China Border Trade at Lipulekh Pass

India and China plan to resume border trade via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand after a six-year pause. Preparations are underway following government approvals, intending to reopen the vital trade route that was closed in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Traders eagerly anticipate retrieving stored goods.

Border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district will restart after a six-year break. Local authorities, guided by directives from the Union government, are actively preparing for the trade session scheduled from June to September.

The resumption follows an issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Ministry of External Affairs. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's letter to Uttarakhand's Chief Secretary, Anand Bardhan, marked the initiation of this restoration process. Further, approvals from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry were secured.

Preparation efforts involve instructing departments on trade coordination, involving communication, security, medical facilitation, and banking services. The collaborative efforts were warmly welcomed by the local trading community as an opportunity to retrieve goods stored since the 2019 suspension, which was prompted by the pandemic.

(With inputs from agencies.)