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India is set to resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens after a five-year hiatus, as announced by the Indian Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs described this announcement as a “positive” development, representing a further step towards normalizing the strained relations between India and China, which were affected by the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control and the Galwan clashes in 2020.
An official notice shared online and on Chinese social media indicates that applications for the visas will be accepted starting Thursday (July 24, 2025), with the visas available after securing an appointment at the Indian Embassy in Beijing or at consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
In the midst of this friendly atmosphere, Beijing dismissed concerns raised in Delhi and Dhaka regarding its recent dam project on the Yarlung Sangpo or Brahmaputra River in Tibet, stating that it had communicated with both governments.
When asked about the visa issuance on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Chinese MFA remarked that Beijing acknowledged this “positive move”.
“Facilitating cross-border travel is advantageous for all parties involved. China will continue to engage in communication and consultation with India to enhance travel between our two nations,” stated spokesperson Guo Jiakun in Beijing.
Following the Covid pandemic and subsequent military tensions after China deployed troops at the LAC, both nations had suspended all flights and most visa services. China reinstated visa applications for Indian students in 2022, followed by those for business and tourism purposes. Between January and June 2025, it issued approximately 85,000 visas. India had previously issued visas for business and student categories, but had not done so for tourism until now. According to the Ministry of Tourism, in 2019, prior to the lockdown, over 300,000 Chinese tourists visited India, while around 869,000 Indian tourists traveled to China.
After a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October, where they agreed to restore relations, a series of high-level discussions have taken place to outline the next steps, including the restoration of tourism.
(Newsroom staff only edited this story for style from a syndicated feed)
