New Delhi: India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens worldwide, officials confirmed, marking another significant step in the gradual restoration of ties between the two countries after the 2020 border rupture.
Government sources said Indian embassies and consulates across continents have restarted processing tourist visa applications from Chinese passport holders. The move comes without any formal public announcement but follows the phased reopening that began in July, when visa services were first restored through the Indian embassy in Beijing and consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
The latest expansion now allows Chinese travellers to apply from Indian missions globally, signalling a full restoration of tourist visa services for the first time since the suspension imposed in the aftermath of the Line of Actual Control standoff and the Galwan Valley clash.
The reopening also comes on the back of a series of incremental confidence-building measures between New Delhi and Beijing. Direct commercial flights resumed in October after years of disruption, and the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route reopened earlier this year. Officials described the visa revival as part of “people-centric” steps agreed upon at higher political levels.
The decision is viewed as another calibrated move to normalise mobility and civilian exchanges even as border talks continue. Analysts say the step underscores India’s willingness to expand engagement in non-military domains while maintaining its firm position on outstanding boundary issues.
