India and China Rebuild Ties with Renewed Initiatives

India and China have unveiled a series of measures to rebuild their ties, including resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and restoring direct flights. The announcements follow talks between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, aimed at enhancing bilateral cooperation.

The governments of India and China have taken substantial steps towards mending their strained ties, highlighted by the decision to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025. This strategic move was announced after discussions between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing.

In pursuit of a comprehensive normalisation of relations, the two nations also agreed, in principle, to restore direct flights, ensuring better connectivity and fostering people-to-people exchanges. This comes after both countries managed to disengage troops from eastern Ladakh, de-escalating a longstanding border tension.

Additionally, both sides have committed to reviving mechanisms for sharing hydrological data and other collaborative efforts concerning trans-border rivers, as well as renewing dialogues on pressing economic and trade matters. These initiatives were rooted in previous discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

(With inputs from agencies.)