India has begun issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals for the first time in half a decade, marking a notable step toward mending strained relations between Asia’s two largest nations. The Indian embassy in China confirmed the move in a social media post on Wednesday, with visa services officially resuming on Thursday.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have been fraught since a deadly military standoff along the disputed Himalayan border in June 2020 resulted in casualties on both sides, sparking a wave of economic and digital restrictions from New Delhi. India subsequently tightened controls on Chinese investment and banned numerous popular Chinese apps, including Shein, TikTok, and Weibo.
In recent years, both governments have sought to soften tensions through high-level engagements. A symbolic breakthrough came in October 2024, when President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed India’s decision to ease visa restrictions, describing it as a “positive move” and expressing hope that cross-border travel will continue to improve. China’s spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that Beijing would remain in close communication with New Delhi to further facilitate travel and bilateral exchange.
Officials from both sides are expected to continue working on unresolved border issues, with more talks scheduled in India later this year, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
