India has officially resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals starting July 24, 2025, ending a five-year suspension that was imposed following the deadly Galwan Valley border clash in 2020 and further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions. This marks the first time since 2020 that Chinese travelers can apply to visit India for tourism purposes.
The Indian Embassy in Beijing announced the resumption via a statement on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, outlining the application procedure. Chinese applicants must first complete an online visa application form, print it out, schedule an in-person appointment, and then submit their passports and supporting documents at Indian Visa Application Centers located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.
This move represents a significant thaw in India-China bilateral relations and is part of growing diplomatic engagement between the two Asian giants. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the visa resumption as a "positive step" conducive to increasing people-to-people exchanges and cross-border travel. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed readiness for continued consultation with India to further ease travel facilitation.
The visa resumption follows China’s earlier reopening to Indian tourists and business travelers and a gradual normalization of exchanges since tensions escalated after the 2020 border clash, which resulted in casualties on both sides. Both nations share a long, disputed border and have experienced strained ties marked by military confrontations and diplomatic standoffs.
The reopening of tourist visas is expected to boost tourism, cultural interaction, and economic ties between the world's two most populous countries while signaling cautious optimism for improved bilateral relations amid ongoing geopolitical complexities.
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