In a major diplomatic development, India has officially resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a five-year suspension, signaling a cautious thaw in relations between the two Asian giants.

The move comes in the wake of high-level talks between Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing earlier this month. The meeting, held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers' conclave, focused heavily on rebuilding fractured ties following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.

India initially halted tourist visas for Chinese citizens during the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, the freeze continued due to ongoing tensions over the border standoff in eastern Ladakh. Only now, after multiple rounds of military disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), has India taken steps toward normalising people-to-people contact.

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Starting Thursday, Chinese nationals can apply for tourist visas at Indian visa centers in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. The Indian embassy has released detailed guidelines and application requirements for prospective travelers.

This visa reopening follows closely on the heels of another symbolic gesture: the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra last month, which had also been halted since 2020.

Jaishankar, in his discussions with both Wang Yi and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, emphasized that restoring bilateral trust could unlock "mutually beneficial outcomes" for both nations. He called for a "far-seeing approach" to steer the relationship away from conflict and toward cooperation.

While challenges remain, these developments suggest that New Delhi and Beijing may be slowly moving past the frost of recent years — one visa at a time.

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