India will begin issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals starting July 24, marking the first time in five years, according to a statement from its embassy in Beijing on Wednesday.
Tourist visas had been suspended in 2020 as part of efforts to control the spread of Covid-19.
The Indian Embassy announced that Chinese citizens can now apply for tourist visas by completing an online form, booking an appointment, and submitting their passports and supporting documents in person at Indian Visa Application Centers located in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.
The embassy also noted that any passport withdrawal requests for applications submitted in the Beijing center must include a formal letter of request.
Travel between the two countries had been severely affected first by the pandemic and later by escalating diplomatic tensions, particularly following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. Although China had resumed issuing visas to Indian students and business travelers, broader travel restrictions remained in place.
Relations between India and China hit a historic low after the Galwan incident, the worst breakdown in ties since the 1962 war. However, after multiple rounds of military and diplomatic negotiations, both sides agreed to pull back troops from several conflict zones along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
In October last year, India and China reached a disengagement agreement concerning Depsang and Demchok, the final two remaining flashpoints. Shortly afterward, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, where they discussed various steps to mend bilateral ties.
Earlier this year, the two countries agreed to revive people-to-people connections, including efforts to restart direct flights and resume the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, which had been suspended since the pandemic began.
In April, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated that India-China relations were showing signs of improvement and emphasised that more work was needed to fully normalise ties.
