India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals starting July 24, marking the first such move in five years. The Indian Embassy in Beijing made the announcement on July 23 via a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo, China’s equivalent of X (formerly Twitter).
Tourist visas had been suspended in early 2020 as part of India’s pandemic response. The freeze continued amid heightened tensions following the deadly Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops in June that year.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed India’s decision. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), a spokesperson described the move as “positive,” signalling Beijing’s approval of the development.
While China had already resumed issuing visas for Indian students and business travellers, India had until now kept tourist access off the table.
The resumption comes against the backdrop of ongoing diplomatic efforts to manage the strained relationship. Both sides have held several rounds of talks under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs and have engaged at international forums including BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
Though territorial disputes remain unresolved and military deployments along the Line of Actual Control persist, the decision to reopen tourist access is being seen as a tentative step toward normalising people-to-people ties.
Officials and observers say the timing of the move suggests a calculated shift by New Delhi to revive limited engagement without compromising on core security and geopolitical concerns.
