Subtitle:
Move signals thaw in travel ties between India and China post-pandemic and diplomatic chill
News Report:
In a significant diplomatic and policy shift, India has decided to resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, marking the end of a five-year-long suspension. The decision is expected to reopen travel channels between the two Asian giants, which had been effectively closed since 2020 due to the pandemic and strained bilateral relations.
The suspension had been in place since 2019, further exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak and heightened border tensions between the two nations. The move to restore visa services is being seen as a positive signal amid ongoing efforts to normalize diplomatic engagement.
According to officials, the resumption will apply to individual tourists as well as group travelers from China, and Indian missions have been directed to begin processing applications immediately. Business and student visas had already seen partial resumption earlier, but this is the first time tourist visas are being reissued since the freeze.
The tourism and hospitality sector in India has welcomed the move, anticipating a boost in arrivals, especially in popular destinations like Ladakh, Kerala, Goa, and northeastern states. Prior to the suspension, Chinese tourists constituted a significant chunk of foreign visitors to India.
Analysts believe this decision might also reflect a broader recalibration in India’s foreign policy posture, seeking to balance national interests while rebuilding people-to-people ties.
While no official dialogue or meeting has been announced between top leaders, the resumption of tourist visas is being viewed as a soft opening towards improved bilateral relations.
India’s travel industry, recovering steadily from pandemic-era disruptions, sees this as a timely and strategic decision to revive a crucial tourism corridor.