NEW DELHI, India – July 23, 2025 – India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens starting July 24, 2025, the Indian Embassy in Beijing announced, marking the first such move in five years since suspensions triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. The decision, seen as a step toward normalizing strained India-China relations, follows high-level diplomatic efforts to rebuild ties and is expected to boost tourism and cultural exchange between the two Asian giants.The announcement, shared via the embassy’s Weibo account, outlines a new visa application process for Chinese nationals. Applicants must complete an online form at indianvisaonline.gov.in, book an appointment at india.blscn.cn, and submit their passport, printed application, and supporting documents in person at Indian Visa Application Centers in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou. The process requires a passport valid for at least six months, a recent 2×2-inch photograph, proof of travel, and financial documents, with processing times averaging three working days. This marks a shift from the 2020 suspension of all tourist visas due to Covid-19 and the subsequent invalidation of Chinese tourist visas in April 2022, a move widely seen as retaliation for China’s refusal to allow approximately 22,000 Indian students to return for studies.
The 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least five Chinese troops, plunged bilateral relations to their lowest point since the 1962 Sino-Indian War. India responded by imposing restrictions on Chinese investments, banning over 200 Chinese apps like TikTok, and severing direct air connectivity. China, citing pandemic restrictions, limited Indian access to its universities, further straining ties. The visa freeze became a symbol of the diplomatic standoff, with only 2,000 visas issued to Chinese nationals in 2024, mostly for electronics industry technicians, compared to 200,000 in 2019.
Recent diplomatic breakthroughs paved the way for this development. In October 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, Russia, agreeing to stabilize relations after troop disengagements in Depsang and Demchok, the last friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s January 2025 visit to Beijing furthered these efforts, securing agreements to resume direct flights between New Delhi and Beijing and reopen the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route in Tibet for Indian devotees. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the need for “mutual respect” in ties, a sentiment echoed by China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who called the visa resumption a “positive move.”
The decision is expected to revitalize India’s tourism sector, which welcomed 9.2 million foreign visitors in 2024 but saw only a fraction from China due to restrictions. Popular destinations like the Taj Mahal, Varanasi’s spiritual sites, and Ladakh’s landscapes are likely to draw Chinese tourists, boosting local economies.
Economically, the visa resumption aligns with India’s efforts to ease restrictions on Chinese investments. Niti Aayog, India’s policy think tank, recently proposed allowing Chinese firms to acquire up to a 24% stake in Indian companies without security clearance, a policy under review to support manufacturing goals. The move could facilitate ventures like a proposed $1 billion electric vehicle project by Chinese automaker BYD, previously stalled by stringent rules.
While the visa resumption signals progress, challenges remain. An estimated 50,000–60,000 troops from each side are still deployed along the LAC, and full de-escalation is pending. Analysts view the visa decision as a cautious step toward rebuilding trust, with cultural exchanges potentially softening tensions. Chinese tourists are advised to follow local health guidelines and respect India’s cultural norms to ensure a positive experience. As India and China navigate this delicate thaw, the resumption of tourist visas marks a tangible commitment to fostering people-to-people connections after years of discord.
