By Kavita Mistry 
In a major diplomatic breakthrough, India has quietly resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens worldwide, ending a five-year freeze imposed after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. The decision marks one of the strongest signals yet that New Delhi and Beijing are moving toward stabilising and normalising bilateral relations.
Officials familiar with the matter said the resumption follows a July 2025 directive recommending the renewal of tourist visa services for Chinese nationals.
Part of a Larger Thaw in 2025
This development is not isolated — it follows a sequence of confidence-building steps rolled out through 2025:
1. Direct Commercial Flights Resumed
India and China signed an agreement in January 2025 to restart direct passenger flights.
On November 10, the first passengers from New Delhi arrived in Shanghai, where Consul General Pratik Mathur personally welcomed them, calling it a moment of “fair winds and clear skies.”
2. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Revived
After a five-year pause, the pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar reopened in June 2025, with the first batch of Indian pilgrims crossing into Tibet.
3. Symbolic 75-Year Diplomatic Anniversary
April 1 marked 75 years of India-China diplomatic relations, with Presidents Xi Jinping and Droupadi Murmu, as well as Premier Li Qiang and PM Modi, exchanging congratulatory messages — a key signal of renewed intent.
High-Level Diplomacy Intensified
The year also saw high-frequency diplomatic exchanges:
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Beijing in July, stating that ties were “gradually moving in a positive direction.”
- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi travelled to New Delhi in August for talks with NSA Ajit Doval and EAM Jaishankar on border de-escalation and confidence building.
- PM Modi’s landmark visit to China on August 31 for the SCO Summit in Tianjin marked his first trip in seven years, where both he and Xi emphasised viewing each other as “partners rather than rivals.”
A Carefully Coordinated Reset
The restoration of tourist visas caps a year of carefully sequenced diplomatic steps designed to rebuild trust after years of tension. While challenges remain — especially regarding the border — the reopening of travel, pilgrimage routes and people-to-people exchanges indicates a strong push from both sides toward stability, cooperation and gradual normalisation of relations.