Economic openings : Revive Attari border trade, retaining caution
The Tribune Editorial : A phased reopening under stringent customs and security protocols would revive Punjab's frontier economy
THE resumption of border trade through Nathu La in Sikkim and Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh after a six-year suspension is a welcome development. Though modest in value, this traditional commerce sustains traders, transporters and border communities while reviving centuries-old trading links with Tibet. More significantly, it signals that even amid unresolved strategic differences, carefully regulated economic engagement can coexist with robust national security. The reopening of these Himalayan routes, closed since 2020 after the Covid-19 pandemic and the Galwan clash, offers a useful lesson. India has rightly maintained its military vigilance along the Line of Actual Control while permitting limited, closely monitored trade that benefits local livelihoods. Economic pragmatism and strategic caution are not mutually exclusive.
