The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a revered pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, is set to resume in the summer of 2025 after a five-year suspension that began in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened border tensions between India and China.

The announcement was jointly confirmed by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), marking a significant milestone in the normalisation of bilateral relations, especially as this year coincides with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Preparations for the Yatra are actively underway on both sides. The pilgrimage is scheduled to take place from June to August 2025, with five batches of 50 pilgrims each traveling via Uttarakhand’s Lipulekh Pass and ten batches of 50 pilgrims each crossing through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass.

The selection process for pilgrims is computerised, fair, and gender-balanced, and online registrations have already opened at the official portal. Both countries are also discussing the resumption of direct air services to further facilitate people-to-people exchanges.

The resumption of the Yatra is seen as a crucial step in rebuilding trust and advancing a sound, stable bilateral relationship. It follows a series of high-level diplomatic engagements and agreements, including disengagement at friction points along the Line of Actual Control and the resumption of normal patrolling by both armies.

The pilgrimage holds immense spiritual and cultural significance for multiple faiths, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Bon, and is regarded as a vital component of cultural exchange between India and China.

Thousands of devotees, who have awaited the reopening of this sacred route, can now look forward to undertaking the journey once more. The MEA has assured that a public notice with detailed guidelines will be issued soon, and technical teams from both countries are finalising the modalities to ensure a smooth and safe pilgrimage experience.

The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra not only reopens a path to spiritual fulfilment for pilgrims but also symbolises a renewed commitment to dialogue and cooperation between India and China.

ANI