Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to Resume After 5-Year Hiatus Amid Eased India-China Tensions
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is set to resume in 2025 after a five-year pause, following a diplomatic thaw between India and China and a formal disengagement in Eastern Ladakh.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed preparations are underway for the resumption of the annual pilgrimage, which had been suspended since 2020. “We will soon issue a public notice regarding it, and there is a strong possibility that the yatra will begin shortly,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.
The yatra, a sacred journey for Hindu devotees to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in Tibet, traditionally takes place between June and September.
The resumption follows high-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Kazan in October 2024. The two leaders agreed on disengagement from flashpoints in Eastern Ladakh, including Depsang and Demchok, paving the way for renewed cooperation.
The Yatra’s revival also aligns with the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations. In March, top foreign ministry officials from both countries met in Beijing to assess progress made in prior negotiations.
India is in discussions with China to rework the routes for the Yatra. Traditionally conducted via Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand or Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, a potential route via Demchok is being considered.
While the MEA has not confirmed route specifics, Jaiswal noted, “I do not have visibility on the granular details… What I do understand is that the Yatra will happen this year. We are making preparations, and more information will be put out for the public soon.”
The pilgrimage was suspended in 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened border tensions after the deadly Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. The matter was raised by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the G20 summit in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro.
Subsequent discussions in January 2025 between India’s Foreign Secretary and China’s Vice Foreign Minister led to the agreement to resume the Yatra this year.
With preparations ongoing and diplomatic relations improving, the MEA is expected to announce details, including application procedures, medical requirements, and route logistics, in the coming weeks.
