India Restores Global Tourist Visa Access For Chinese Citizens

India has reinstated tourist visa services for Chinese citizens applying through its embassies and consulates across the globe, marking another step in rebuilding relations after the prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). According to people familiar with the process, the visa category was quietly reopened earlier this week, although no formal announcement was made.

This development follows India’s initial move in July to resume tourist visas for Chinese travellers through its missions in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. India had suspended these visas in 2020 after the start of the border clash, which escalated with the violent confrontation in the Galwan Valley that left 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops dead, pushing bilateral ties to their lowest point in decades.

Officials said both countries have recently agreed on several measures aimed at restoring normalcy and encouraging people-to-people contact. Direct flights, halted since early 2020, resumed in October, and the two sides have also agreed to restart the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra next summer, ease visa processes for different traveller categories, and commemorate 75 years of diplomatic engagement.

These steps align with the leaders’ guidance to revive suspended mechanisms and stabilise ties. Following the disengagement agreement for frontline troops in October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, committing to accelerate efforts toward resolving the border dispute and improving cooperation.

Since then, India and China’s foreign and defence ministers, national security advisers, and Special Representatives Ajit Doval and Wang Yi have held multiple rounds of talks. These discussions have paved the way for renewed collaboration in areas such as border trade and economic coordination. China has also taken actions to address India’s trade concerns, including easing export curbs on rare earth minerals.

All these moves signal a cautious but notable shift toward rebuilding confidence and expanding bilateral engagement after years of strained relations.