India to resume visas for Chinese nationals as thaw continues ahead of likely Modi-Xi meet
The Indian Embassy in Beijing announced the move on the Chinese social media platform, Sina Weibo, indicating that Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa for travel to the South Asian nation from 24 July, 2025.
New Delhi: India lifted its nearly 5-year suspension on tourist visas to Chinese nationals Wednesday, amid a continuing thaw in relations between the two countries ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's likely visit to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at the end of next month.
The move comes as both New Delhi and Beijing continue to use confidence-building mechanisms to slowly restore ties following a diplomatic pause. The two countries have had a difficult few years following the clashes in Galwan in the summer of 2020.
While India had paused visas for Chinese nationals, China issued about 3 lakh, mainly business-related visas, to Indians, last year. The issuance of visas for its tourists and businessmen was one of the Chinese government's main asks.
India had paused travel from China and suspended direct air flights from the Asian country during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pause was never lifted as diplomatic ties cratered, following the military clashes.
However, on 21 October, 2024, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that the two countries had reached an agreement for disengagement at the friction points across the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The agreement set the stage for Modi to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the margins of the BRICS Summit in the Russian city of Kazan a few days later. India pushed for the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as a means to build confidence in the ties with Beijing.
Earlier this summer, the yatra was resumed with the first batch of pilgrims reaching the site last month.
With India lifting the suspension of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, the first of Beijing's requests for restoration of ties has been implemented. The other ask by Beijing has been the resumption of direct flights.
Technical teams are currently working out an agreement, which would see the resumption of direct flights between the two countries.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun welcomed the step in comments made to reporters, according to Reuters.
'China is ready to maintain communication and consultation with India and constantly improve the level of personal exchanges between the two countries,' Guo is reported to have said.
Earlier this month, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with his counterpart, Wang Yi, in Beijing during his two-day visit to China. Jaishankar pushed for discussions on 'de-escalation' on the borders after noting that friction in the areas has been 'resolved'.
In the last month, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh travelled to China for meetings under the SCO mechanism. Jaishankar attended the SCO foreign ministers' meeting during his 2-day visit to China.
At the height of tensions, India moved 68,000 troops to eastern Ladakh along with military equipment. However, following the Modi-Xi meeting in October 2024, a number of bilateral mechanisms have been engaged at different levels, leading to a reduction in diplomatic tensions between the two neighbours.
China is set to host the SCO Heads of State Summit at the end of August in the city of Tianjin, with Modi's attendance expected. However, the Indian PM has in the past given the summit a miss, in particular last year's summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana.
(Edited by Sugita Katyal)
Also read: Congress reminds Jaishankar of China's 'support' to Pakistan in Op Sindoor after his talks with Wang Yi
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