Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, direct India-China flights to resume soon: MEA

India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025, as announced by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following a meeting between Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Monday.

The meeting, held under the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism, reviewed India-China bilateral relations comprehensively and decided on several people-centric measures aimed at stabilizing and rebuilding ties, in line with the understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their October meeting in Kazan.

The MEA stated that the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for the Yatra as per existing agreements. Both sides also agreed, in principle, to resume direct air services between the two countries, with technical authorities from both sides to negotiate an updated framework for the service soon.

Additionally, both sides agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss the resumption of hydrological data provision and other cooperation related to trans-border rivers, according to the MEA statement.

As 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China, both countries have decided to intensify public diplomacy efforts to increase awareness about each other and rebuild mutual trust and confidence among the public.

Both sides will also conduct several commemorative activities to mark the anniversary. The MEA stated that dialogues will resume step by step, addressing each other’s priority areas of interest and concern. Specific concerns related to economic and trade issues were discussed, with the aim of resolving them and promoting long-term policy transparency and predictability.

During his two-day visit to Beijing, Foreign Secretary Misri also held discussions with Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China.

Meanwhile, the Chinese side emphasized that positive interactions have occurred at all levels, and the process of improving China-India relations has accelerated since the meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping in Kazan last year.

A Chinese statement on Monday said, “The two sides should seize the opportunity, meet each other halfway, explore more substantive measures, and commit to mutual understanding, mutual support, and mutual achievement, rather than mutual suspicion, mutual alienation, and mutual consumption.”

It further added, “The improvement and development of China-India relations is fully in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples. It is conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of global South countries and making contributions to peace, stability, development, and prosperity in Asia and the world.”