New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued an advisory after receiving requests for assistance from Indian nationals stranded in Nepal while undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra without the necessary entry permit and visa for China.
In its statement, the ministry said the pilgrims concerned had travelled through tours arranged by private operators.
The MEA said citizens should not set out from India unless they have secured all the required travel documents needed for the pilgrimage. It added that beginning the journey without confirmed paperwork, or on the expectation that permits and visas will be o
btained later, raises the chances of pilgrims being left stranded.
The ministry also strongly urged pilgrims to make sure their tour operator is properly registered and authorised before undertaking the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
52 Indian Pilgrims Stranded In Kathmandu
The advisory came amid reports that 52 Indian citizens on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra are stranded in Kathmandu and need urgent assistance to continue their journey.
The issue was brought to attention by Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, who urged the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian embassies in Nepal and China to step in.
In a post on X, Sule said, “About 52 Indian citizens travelling to Kailash Mansarovar are currently stranded in Kathmandu, Nepal, and need urgent assistance.”
She also appealed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, the Indian Embassy in Beijing and the MEA to extend the required support and help ensure the pilgrims’ safe onward travel.
The development comes just days after the first batch of pilgrims for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 entered China through the Nathu La Pass on the India-China border on June 20, marking the resumption of the pilgrimage route.