Good news for Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims! MEA says will soon issue notice for public

After years of being held following the COVID-19 outbreak, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra may soon resume for public, informed Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday.

Briefing a press conference, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We will soon issue a notice for the public on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. There is a possibility of resumption of the Yatra soon.”

On being asked by reporters when can it be possible, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra will happen this year, and we are making preparations."

Earlier in January, India and China had decided to resume the yatra and agreed in-principle to restore direct flights. The decisions were announced after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held wide-ranging talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in Beijing.

The Yatra has not taken place since 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent non-renewal of Yatra arrangements by the Chinese side.

In February, on the sidelines of G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had reviewed developments in bilateral ties, management of peace and tranquility along border areas and the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Answeringa question on direct air services between India and China, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “In principle, both countries have agreed that flight operations will resume. The technical teams on both sides are looking into the technical arrangements for the flight services to resume. The two civil aviation authorities have met and are discussing the relevant modalities, including the updated framework.”

India-China relations 'much better than before'

Earlier on 9 April, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, talking at CNN News 18 Rising Bharat Summit 2025, said that India's relationship with China is much better than before.

"The relationship is much better than before. I think the disengagement, particularly the Depsang Demchok, was important," he said.

"We are now addressing, to some extent, the issues on the border because there has been a force build-up over a period of years. There were many other things that also happened during this period. Some of it was collateral for the situation. Some of it was a carryover from the Covid era," he said.

With agency inputs.