India Resumes Tourist Visas for Chinese Citizens After Five Years

New Delhi / Beijing:In a significant move aimed at restoring normalcy in relations, India has resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens, ending a five-year suspension triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Galwan Valley border clash.The announcement was made by the Indian Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday.

Chinese nationals can now apply for tourist visas online and complete biometric verification at Indian visa centres in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou. However, the visa is strictly for tourism and not valid for business visits.The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the decision, calling it a “positive step” that could improve cross-border travel, tourism, and people-to-people connections.

Tourist visas had been suspended in 2020 due to pandemic-related health concerns. However, tensions between the two countries, especially after the deadly Galwan Valley clashes, led to an extended freeze on tourism, investments, and even certain digital and economic exchanges.Since then, only select categories such as business, diplomatic, employment, and student visas were reintroduced until now.Recent high-level meetings, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping’s interaction at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Russia, helped ease tensions. Agreements to resume direct flights and reopen the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route for Indians were seen as early signs of warming ties.Still, the relationship remains complex.

President Xi did not attend the 2025 BRICS Summit in Brazil, opting to send Premier Li Qiang, reflecting cautious diplomacy on both sides.This reopening of tourist visas is being seen as a confidence-building measure and a signal of improving trust.

“This is more than a visa update it’s a message that people-to-people connections still matter,” observers said, noting that cultural exchanges could soften diplomatic friction over time.