New Delhi: In a significant move towards restoring bilateral relations, India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after nearly five years. The pilgrimage will take place from June to August 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday.
The Yatra, which had been suspended since 2020 following the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent border tensions in eastern Ladakh, will be conducted via two traditional routes: the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.
Five batches will proceed via Lipulekh Pass
“This year, five batches, each consisting of 50 pilgrims, will proceed via Lipulekh Pass, while 10 batches of 50 pilgrims each will travel through Nathu La Pass,” the MEA said in its official statement. Applications for the Yatra are now open on the official website kmy.gov.in.
The selection of pilgrims will be conducted through a fair, computer-generated, random and gender-balanced process. Since 2015, the entire application and selection procedure has been fully computerised. The decision to resume the Yatra follows a series of diplomatic engagements between New Delhi and Beijing. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in October 2024 in Kazan, Russia, agreeing to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms and to take people-centric steps to stabilise and rebuild ties.
75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China
Agreements were reached to resume the Yatra and to promote broader people-to-people exchanges, including resumption of direct flights between Delhi and Beijing. The resumption of the Yatra also coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China — a symbolic milestone both sides are keen to mark with greater cooperation.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra leads pilgrims to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, located in Tibet’s autonomous region under Chinese administration. Notably, the route via Lipulekh Pass has also held strategic importance. In 2020, India constructed an 80-kilometre road from Pithoragarh to Lipulekh, facilitating easier access for pilgrims — a development that had earlier caused friction with Nepal.
