New Delhi has relaxed restrictions that were initially imposed during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020

In a sign of warming ties between New Delhi and Beijing, India has said it will restart issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens after a five-year pause.

The restrictions were imposed during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, and continued after relations between the countries became strained due to a deadly border clash in the Himalayas in 2020.

"From July 24, 2025, Chinese citizens can apply for a tourist visa to visit India," the Indian Embassy said in a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

Beijing has long requested the reissuing of visas to its citizens, in addition to restarting direct flights between India and mainland China, which were also suspended in 2020.

"Easing cross-border travel is widely beneficial," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. "China will maintain communication and consultation with India to further facilitate travel between the two countries."

Efforts to normalize ties between the two countries began in October last year, after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks on the sidelines of the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan. Both leaders gave their nod to follow an agreement to disengage from areas of tension and a commitment to work towards restoring relations.

Following multiple rounds ofmilitary and diplomatictalks, certain proposals to ease trade and investment restrictions between India and China have gained momentum, driven by industry demands.

Earlier this month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, at a meeting in Beijing with his Indian counterpart, S.Jaishankar, said, "Since our leaders' meeting in October 2024, the relationship has been gradually moving in a positive direction."

In June, a group of Indians crossed over into Tibet for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, one of the holiest pilgrimages in Hinduism. The pilgrimage, which traverses two sacred sites, was also resumed after a five-year hiatus.

Last week, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Beijing is ready to enhance trilateral cooperation with New Delhi and Moscow.

(RT.com)