India Resumes Tourist Visas for Chinese Nationals

India will start issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens from July 24 after five years, as the two nations work to improve relations. Both sides faced tensions after a 2020 border clash, resulting in mutual restrictions. Diplomatic talks have been ongoing to resolve differences.

India is set to resume the issuance of tourist visas for Chinese citizens starting July 24, marking a significant step forward in mending ties with China. This move comes after five years of tension between the two countries following a military conflict in 2020 along the contested Himalayan border.

During the clash, India responded by restricting Chinese investments, banning widely-used Chinese apps, and limiting passenger travel routes. Concurrently, China halted visas due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although it resumed issuing visas in 2022 for students and business travelers.

The gradual thawing of relations has been marked by high-level diplomatic engagements, including a meeting between Xi Jinping and Narendra Modi last year. Beijing views the resumption of visas positively, with promises of ongoing communication to elevate personal exchanges while urging resolution on broader border disputes.