The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra’s return has been widely praised throughout India as a major turning point in India-China ties. This sentiment was directly communicated to Chinese Vice President Han Zheng by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his visit to Beijing.
The normalization of bilateral relations, which had been tense since the 2020 Galwan Valley stalemate, has advanced significantly with this breakthrough.
For Buddhists, Jains, and Hindus, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is of great religious and cultural significance. Every year from June to September, pilgrims go through either the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim (which opened in 2015) or the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand (which has been used since 1981). Each year, thousands of pilgrims and tourists are drawn to the Yatra because of its spiritual significance, breathtaking natural beauty, and feeling of adventure.
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic and the consequent absence of updated plans from the Chinese side, the pilgrimage had been halted since 2020. In diplomatic discussions, the Indian government frequently brought up the topic of resumption, highlighting the importance of the Yatra to the Indian people. The latest decision to resume the trip after almost five years is viewed as a constructive step that shows both parties are ready to return to normalcy and mutual gain.
At a time when both countries are commemorating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties, Jaishankar is making his first trip to China in five years. Throughout his talks, Jaishankar emphasized the value of candid communication, particularly in light of the intricate global landscape and the necessity for big Asian economies to stay in touch. In keeping with a larger commitment to regional cooperation, he also reaffirmed India’s backing for China’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
This visit continues a string of previous high-level engagements, such as visits for SCO-related discussions by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Both parties acknowledged the improvement in bilateral relations, and Jaishankar expressed optimism that further talks would maintain this upward trend.
With both sides suffering casualties and tensions sharply rising, the 2020 Galwan Valley incident was the lowest point in India-China relations in decades. Both nations have responded by attempting to resurrect long-delayed dialogue processes, like the Special Representatives (SR) negotiations meant to settle the long-running boundary issue. Following a brief discussion between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at a conference in Kazan, Russia, in October of last year, the decision was made to reopen these lines.
In keeping with these talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also anticipated to travel to India shortly, highlighting a shared understanding of the necessity of ongoing engagement and steps to foster confidence.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra’s return is a sign of bettering India-China ties and the possibility of win-win outcomes through further normalization. In addition to marking the return of a beloved spiritual path for thousands of Indians, it also shows a cautious optimism about the direction of bilateral relations going forward, which is based on communication, collaboration, and respect for common interests.
