India expands tourist visa facilities for Chinese nationals

Chinese nationals will now be able to apply for tourist visas for India through Indian missions and consulates around the world as the two countries step up efforts to rebuild ties following the resolution of the eastern Ladakh military stand-off.

In July, India resumed tourist visas for Chinese nationals.

Issuance of visas to Chinese nationals was suspended following the start of a military stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh that began in May 2020.

Tourist visas for Chinese nationals were opened up at Indian embassies and consulates all over the world earlier this week, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.

After the resumption of issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals, the applications were received at the Indian embassy in Beijing and the consulates in Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

India and China have, in recent months, agreed on several people-centric steps to stabilise and rebuild ties.

These include agreement to resume Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, resumption of direct flights, commemoration of 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations and visa facilitation, among others.

The direct flights resumed in October.

These steps are aimed at facilitating people-to-people exchanges, as guided by the leaders of the two countries, the people cited above said.