India, China to resume Kailash Mansarovar yatra, direct flights
India and China have decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar yatra in the summer. The decision was taken during two-day high-level talks between foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.
Issuing a statement, the minister of external affairs that the two sides also agreed on holding meetings on India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resuming the provision of hydrological data and other cooperation about trans-border rivers.
“The relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers,” the statement noted.
An in-principle agreement was also discussed on resuming direct flights between the two nations for the Yatra.
“The two sides took stock of the extant mechanisms for functional exchanges. It was agreed to resume these dialogues step by step and to utilize them to address each other’s priority areas of interest and concern. Specific concerns in the economic and trade areas were discussed with a view to resolving these issues and promoting long-term policy transparency and predictability,” the MEA added.
The yatra, involving a visit to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in Tibet, has been suspended since the 2020 Covid outbreak. There has been no renewal of arrangements for the yatra by Beijing amid stressing relations between the two sides, particularly of a Galwan clash.
The development came in the wake of a meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October where the two sides reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations.
The resumption of the yatra is also seen as a key step in improving India-China bilateral relations.
The relevant technical authorities on both sides are set to meet and negotiate an updated framework to carry out the mammoth task in the coming weeks.
Related Posts
