India Resumes Tourist Visas for Chinese Nationals

India Resumes Tourist Visas for Chinese Nationals

A major step towards normalizing travel ties after the 2020 Galwan tensions.

India has announced the resumption of tourist visas for Chinese citizens starting July 24, 2025, marking the first such move in five years, according to the Indian embassy in China.

Why This Matters

  • This announcement signals a step toward mending strained bilateral relations, disrupted by the June 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • China has welcomed the policy shift, calling it a positive step in restoring people-to-people ties.

ЁЯЫВ WhatтАЩs Changing?

Visa TypeStatus BeforeStatus from July 24, 2025
Tourist visasSuspended since 2020Resumed
Student, business, & transit visasResumed earlier or unaffectedContinue
  • Tourist visas, specifically |most affected category|, will be reinstated on July 24,2025.
  • Student and business visas resumed earlier.
  • The reintroduction aligns with an agreement to resume direct air travel and the KailashтАУMansarovar pilgrimage

ЁЯМР Where It Fits in the Bigger Picture

  • In early 2025, New Delhi and Beijing agreed to restart diplomatic exchanges, including visas, flights, and pilgrimage routes.
  • Earlier this year, Chinese embassies issued over 85,000 visas to Indians, reflecting reciprocal easing on border controls.

ЁЯУЭ Background Context

  • PostтАУGalwan clash, India had suspended tourist visas under security and diplomatic pressure.
  • Beijing had also suspended visas for Indians due to COVID and later geopolitical tensionsтАФresuming non-tourist visas in 2022.

ЁЯФо The Road Ahead

  • Tourism experts expect this revival will boost people-to-people exchanges and tourism.
  • Direct flights and planned pilgrimages like KailashтАУMansarovar are expected to resume later in 2025.
  • Both nations will likely keep up high-level engagement, emphasizing strategic agreements and border stability.