India, China to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

In January 2025, India and China have decided to resume the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra in June 2025.

Since 2020, the yatra was suspended due to COVID-19 pandemic and following military stand-off along the LAC, including the Galwan incident. Resuming the yatra is considered a significant step in improving relations between the two nations.
 

About Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
 

1. The yatra includes visits to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in Tibet.

 

2. The Ministry of External Affairs, India organises the Yatra during June to September through two different routes:
   • Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand)
   • Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
      
3. It is open to eligible Indian citizens holding valid Indian passports.
    
4. The Yatra is organised with the support from state governments of Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Sikkim; and cooperation of Indo Tibetan Border Police.
    
5. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) does not provide any subsidy or financial assistance to Yatris.
    

   

 

Location: 
 

1. Mount Kailash is located in the Kailash Range (forms part of the Transhimalaya) in Tibet.
    
2. Lake Manasarovar is a high altitude freshwater lake near Mount Kailash in Tibet.
    
3. Four rivers emerge from the Kailash-Mansaorovar region: Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Indus and Kamali (Karnali).
    

Religious Significance of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
 

1. Hindus believe Mount Kailash is the abode of Lord Shiva. Mansarovar lake is said to be one of Goddess Sati’s 51 Shaktipeeths.
    
2. Tibetans, Buddhists and Jains revere it as the ‘Stairway to heaven’.
    
3. Jains hold that Rishabhanatha, the first Tirthankar (Jains’ spiritual preacher), found enlightenment at Mount Kailash. 
    
4. The Mount is referred to in Jain literature as “Ashtapada,” or “the eight steps,” which can pave the way to enlightenment and spiritual advancement.
    

2025 marks 75th Anniversary of India – China Diplomatic Relations   The two countries seek to use the opportunity to redouble public diplomacy efforts and conduct a number of commemorative activities following the recent meeting between Foreign Secretaries.  Other Key announcements    Resumption of  the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025.  Resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers. Agreement to resume direct air services between the two countries.  Others: People-to-people exchanges, media and think-tank interactions, etc.    Key areas of concern in India-China Relations:    Unsettled Borders: No mutual agreement over Line of Actual Control (LAC), dispute over Aksai Chin, etc.  Recent episodes of conflicts were witnessed in Galwan Valley (Ladakh, 2020), Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh, 2022), etc.  Unequal Trade: India’s trade deficit with China rose to USD 85 billion (2023-24) against USD 83.2 billion (2022-23). China-Pakistan Nexus: China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), particularly the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), passes through Indian territory claimed by Pakistan.  China’s Assertiveness: Particularly in South Asia through strategies like String of Pearls, presence in Maldives, Sri Lanka, assertion over South China Sea, etc. create insecurities in Indo-Pacific.    Way forward on dealing with China   Addressing the Border issue: Through agreements like the recent one on Depsang and Demchok, along the LAC.  Diplomatic Engagements: Maintaining open channels of communication through bilateral or regional cooperations like in BRICS, SCO, etc.    Overview of India-China Relations   Diplomatic: Established in 1950.   Panchasheel Agreement, 1954, emphasized on peaceful coexistence and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.    Economic Relations: Currently, China is the largest trading partner of India with bilateral trade of USD 118.4 billion (2023- 2024).