Kailash Manasarovar Yatra to resume via Nathula, Lipulekh as India, China ease tensions
The MEA announced that ten batches of pilgrims will travel through the Nathula Pass in Sikkim some time between June & August;
Applications must be submitted online through the official portal - kmy.gov.in. (AT Photo)
Gangtok, April 26: The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra is set to resume in the summer of 2025, with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announcing that ten batches of pilgrims will travel through the Nathula Pass in Sikkim, while an additional five batches will proceed via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the MEA said that each batch, comprising 50 pilgrims, will undertake the revered journey between June and August next year.
Applications must be submitted online through the official portal (kmy.gov.in), with selection conducted via a "fair, computer-generated, random and gender-balanced" process, the Ministry noted.
Welcoming the announcement, Sikkim Rajya Sabha MP D.T. Lepcha expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) and acknowledged the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.
"The collective efforts of the Centre and the State have ensured a safer, smoother, and spiritually fulfilling experience for all pilgrims," Lepcha said. "
The Yatra, suspended since 2020 following heightened tensions between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh and the pandemic, is seen as a significant step towards easing bilateral strains.
The resumption follows the meeting held under the Foreign Secretary–Vice Foreign Minister mechanism in January 2025, where both countries agreed on people-centric measures to stabilise and rebuild relations.
At that meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri led the Indian delegation and engaged with his Chinese counterpart in reviewing the overall state of bilateral ties, building on the strategic direction set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan in October 2024.
"They agreed to continue efforts to further facilitate and promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resumption of direct flights, interaction of media and think-tanks, and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations," the statement read.
- With inputs from the agencies
