Restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra: UPSC Current Affairs Story Arc
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ExploreAfter a 1,800-day hiatus and the coldest period in bilateral ties since 1962, the sacred trails to Kailash Mansarovar have finally reopened. In a year marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, India and China have turned to spiritual diplomacy to thaw a multi-year border freeze.
Overview
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage of immense spiritual significance for Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains, was suspended in 2019/2020 due to the dual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened border tensions following the Galwan Valley clash. In 2025, a series of diplomatic engagements through the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) led to its official resumption. This process involved high-level agenda setting in March, detailed logistical planning between Indian ministries (MEA, MHA) and Chinese authorities in April, and the final symbolic reopening in July. The resumption serves as a critical Confidence Building Measure (CBM) and a signal of a calibrated 'thaw' in India-China relations.
How This Story Evolved
WMCC Agenda setting (March) → Advanced logistical talks (April) → Official resumption (July)
- 2025-03-26: India and China Discuss Resumption of Cooperation
More details
UPSC Angle: India and China discuss resumption of cooperation.
Key Facts:
- 33rd meeting of WMCC held in Beijing on March 25, 2025
- Discussions included cross-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra
- Next SR meeting to be held in India in 2025
- 2025-04-17: India, China in Talks to Resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
More details
UPSC Angle: India, China in talks to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Key Facts:
- Suspension: since 2019
- Reason: COVID-19 and border tensions
- Organizers: Ministries of External and Home Affairs, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and the governments of Delhi, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand, along with state agencies like Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam
- Routes: Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand, since 1981) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim, since 2015)
- Target Religious Groups: Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists
- Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
- Northeastern region as gateway to Southeast Asia
- 2025-07-21: Resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
More details
UPSC Angle: Resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after suspension.
Key Facts:
- Suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19 and India-China border tensions.
- Resumed in 2025.
- 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China.
Genesis
Trigger
The 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs held in Beijing on March 25, 2025.
Why Now
The move coincides with the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations (1950–2025) and follows a prolonged period of military disengagement talks where both sides sought 'low-stakes' avenues to rebuild trust.
Historical Context
The Yatra was historically conducted through the Lipulekh Pass (opened 1981) and later through Nathu La (opened 2015). It has often served as a barometer for bilateral relations, previously disrupted during the 1962 war and suspended for decades until the 1980s.
Key Turning Points
- [2025-03-26] 33rd WMCC Meeting in Beijing
It shifted the Yatra from a 'suspended' status to an 'active agenda' for the first time since the 2020 border standoff.
Before: Diplomatic stalemate. After: Agreement on 'early resumption' of cross-border cooperation.
- [2025-07-21] Official Resumption of the Yatra
The first actual movement of civilians across the pass since 2019, symbolizing a functional thaw.
Before: 5-year suspension due to COVID/Border tensions. After: Active pilgrimage coinciding with the 75th anniversary of ties.
Key Actors and Institutions
| Name | Role | Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Joint Secretary (East Asia), MEA | Lead Indian Negotiator at WMCC | Headed the 33rd WMCC meeting in Beijing that placed the Yatra resumption on the formal bilateral agenda. |
| Director General, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) | Head of Border Security and Logistics | Coordinated the security and physical screening of pilgrims at the Lipulekh and Nathu La passes. |
Key Institutions
- Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC)
- Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)
- Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)
- Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN)
Key Concepts
Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)
Planned actions used to reduce tension and the possibility of conflict by improving communication and predictability between states.
Current Fact: The July 21 resumption is explicitly termed a 'step towards confidence building' in the arc narrative.
Cultural Diplomacy
The exchange of ideas, information, art, and other aspects of culture among nations to foster mutual understanding.
Current Fact: The 2025 resumption was used by leaders to 'enhance cultural diplomacy and people-to-people ties'.
Trans-border Rivers Cooperation
Diplomatic arrangements for sharing hydrological data and managing rivers that flow across international boundaries.
Current Fact: Discussions on March 26, 2025, linked the Yatra resumption with cooperation on trans-border rivers.
What Happens Next
Current Status
The Yatra officially resumed on July 21, 2025, with pilgrims allowed to use the traditional routes under revised security and health protocols.
Likely Next
A meeting of the Special Representatives (SR) on the Boundary Question is scheduled to be held in India later in 2025 to build on this momentum.
Wildcards
Fresh border incursions in the Eastern or Western sectors of the LAC or unilateral infrastructure development in disputed areas could immediately freeze this cultural cooperation.
Why UPSC Cares
Syllabus Topics
- India and its neighborhood- relations
- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India
- Salient features of world's physical geography (Mountain passes)
Essay Angles
- Faith as a Bridge: The Role of Pilgrimage in International Relations
- Navigating the Dragon: The Dual Track of Competition and Cooperation in Indo-China Ties
Prelims Likely: Yes
Mains Likely: Yes
Trend Signal: rising
Exam Intelligence
Previous Year Question Connections
- Which Himalayan Pass was reopened in 2006 to facilitate trade between India and China? — Directly parallels the current resumption. While 2006 was about Nathu La trade, 2025 is about Nathu La/Lipulekh pilgrimage resumption.
- Statements about Nathu La Pass (links Sikkim with Tibet, reopened in 2006). — The Yatra resumption makes the geography and history of these specific passes (Nathu La, Lipulekh) high-priority for upcoming exams.
Prelims Angles
- The 33rd WMCC meeting was the first to formalize the Yatra's return.
- The Yatra is organized by MEA in collaboration with MHA and ITBP.
- Key routes: Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
- The Indian government provides NO financial assistance for this Yatra (as per Item 2).
Mains Preparation
Sample Question: Critically analyze the role of 'People-to-People' ties and cultural diplomacy in managing the volatile India-China relationship. How does the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra contribute to the broader framework of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)?
Answer Structure: Intro: Mention the 2025 resumption as a thaw in the 5-year freeze. Body 1: Explain the spiritual and cultural significance of the Yatra. Body 2: Detail the institutional mechanisms involved (WMCC, SR talks). Body 3: Discuss the limitations (security concerns, susceptibility to border incidents). Conclusion: Suggest that while cultural ties are vital, they must be backed by transparent border management.
Essay Topic: Soft Power in the Shadow of Hard Borders.
Textbook Connections
Geography of India, Majid Husain (9th ed.), p. 21
Explains the significance of Mangsha Dhura and Lipulekh passes in Uttarakhand for the Manasarovar pilgrimage.
Gap: Textbooks focus on the 1981 reopening but do not cover the 2020-2025 suspension/resumption cycle.
NCERT Class XII, Contemporary World Politics, p. 25
Provides the background of the 1962 conflict and the 1976 restoration of ties, framing the '75th Anniversary' context.
Gap: Does not include the post-Galwan diplomatic freeze and the 2025 'Spirituality over Standoff' strategy.
Quick Revision
- 33rd meeting of WMCC: Held in Beijing on March 25, 2025.
- Yatra Suspension: Lasted from 2019/2020 until 2025.
- 75th Anniversary: 2025 marks 75 years of India-China diplomatic relations.
- Route 1: Lipulekh Pass, Uttarakhand (active since 1981).
- Route 2: Nathu La Pass, Sikkim (active since 2015).
- Lead Agency: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
- Security/Logistics: ITBP and Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam.
- Target Groups: Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists.
Key Takeaway
The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2025 is not just a religious event but a calculated diplomatic signal using 'faith' as a low-risk CBM to reset India-China ties during a milestone anniversary.
All Events in This Story (3 items)
- 2025-03-26 [International Relations] — India and China Discuss Resumption of Cooperation
India and China held the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs in Beijing, discussing the "early resumption" of cross-border cooperation. This includes cooperation on trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra. Both sides agreed to prepare for the next meeting of the Special Representatives (SR) to be held in India later in 2025.More details
UPSC Angle: India and China discuss resumption of cooperation.
Key Facts:
- 33rd meeting of WMCC held in Beijing on March 25, 2025
- Discussions included cross-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra
- Next SR meeting to be held in India in 2025
- 2025-04-17 [International Relations] — India, China in Talks to Resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
India and China are in advanced talks to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has been suspended since 2019 due to COVID-19 and border tensions. The Yatra is organized by multiple ministries and agencies, and is significant for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists. The government does not provide financial assistance for the Yatra.More details
UPSC Angle: India, China in talks to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Key Facts:
- Suspension: since 2019
- Reason: COVID-19 and border tensions
- Organizers: Ministries of External and Home Affairs, Indo-Tibetan Border Police, and the governments of Delhi, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand, along with state agencies like Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam
- Routes: Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand, since 1981) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim, since 2015)
- Target Religious Groups: Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists
- Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
- Northeastern region as gateway to Southeast Asia
- 2025-07-21 [International Relations] — Resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra
The Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and India-China border tensions, resumed in 2025. This resumption symbolizes a thaw in bilateral relations and a step towards confidence building, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China. The move was welcomed by both Indian and Chinese leaders as a means to enhance cultural diplomacy, people-to-people ties, and bilateral cooperation.More details
UPSC Angle: Resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after suspension.
Key Facts:
- Suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19 and India-China border tensions.
- Resumed in 2025.
- 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China.
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