India and China have agreed to restart the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. This agreement was made during the two-day visit of Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to China. As per the agreement, direct air services between India and China will also begin soon.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs issued a press release informing about the agreements. According to the statement, six points were agreed upon after discussions between Indian Foreign Secretary Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Both countries also agreed to hold a meeting of experts soon to exchange hydrological data and other cooperation related to rivers. Additionally, they agreed to promote discussions and visits between media and think tanks.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and direct air service between India and China have been suspended since 2020. This was due to the border conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, relations between India and China worsened after clashes between their soldiers in the Galwan region.
Nepal’s Concern
Recently, India and China have been trying to improve their relations. About a month ago, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also visited China. During that visit, both countries had reportedly agreed to reopen the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, but the specific route was unclear.
Even now, after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit, the exact route for the pilgrimage has not been confirmed.
There are two possible routes for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. One is through Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, and the other is through Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand via Lipulekh. Since the distance is only 65 kilometers, this route is considered more economical. Because of this, India is prioritizing this route and constructing a road from Pithoragarh to Lipulekh.
However, Nepal claims the Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani areas as its territory and has included them in its updated map. But India has been claiming this land as its own. India and China have not informed Nepal about using the disputed land for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
On May 14, 2015, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China, an agreement was made with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang to use the Lipulekh Pass as a trade route. This agreement was included in a joint statement. Nepal strongly objected to this and sent diplomatic notes to both India and China.
