India Resumes Tourist Visas For Chinese Nationals After Five-Year Hiatus

In a significant diplomatic development, India has resumed the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a five-year suspension. The decision, announced by the Indian Embassy in Beijing, allows Chinese citizens to apply for tourist visas starting this week.

The move comes as part of New Delhi’s broader efforts to normalize ties with Beijing, which were severely impacted by the military standoff in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in 2020. Initially triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, the suspension of tourist visas to Chinese nationals remained in place due to prolonged tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as per a report on PTI.

The Indian Embassy stated that visa applications from Chinese tourists will be accepted from Thursday, marking the first such relaxation since the freeze in 2020.