Beijing, April 28 (NationPress) The Chinese Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that China and India are actively making necessary arrangements to restart the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this summer.

Describing the pilgrimage as a crucial aspect of cultural and interpersonal exchanges between the two nations, spokesperson Guo Jiakun emphasized that the holy mountain and lake hold profound significance for followers of various religions, including Tibetan Buddhism and Hinduism.

"In line with the agreement between China and India, the pilgrimage is set to resume this summer. Both parties are currently working on the necessary preparations," stated the spokesperson during a routine media briefing in Beijing.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and India. China is prepared to collaborate with India to faithfully implement the key common understandings reached by the leaders of both nations and to advance the relationship between China and India toward a path of steady and sound development," he further added.

Last week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the eagerly awaited Yatra is scheduled to take place from June to August this year.

The MEA's statement detailed that five batches, each comprising 50 Yatris, along with ten batches, also consisting of 50 Yatris, will journey through Uttarakhand State via Lipulekh Pass and through Sikkim State via Nathu La Pass, respectively.

The online platform at kmy.gov.in has been launched to accept applications, and Yatris will be selected through a fair, computer-generated, random, and gender-balanced selection process.

The complete procedure, from the online application to the selection of Yatris, has been fully computerized since 2015.

According to the MEA, applicants need not send letters or faxes for information; they can use the feedback options on the site for inquiries or suggestions.

India and China have been finalizing the protocols to resume the Yatra since the beginning of this year.

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has been on hold since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent cessation of Yatra arrangements by the Chinese authorities. The Indian government organized the pilgrimage between June and September via the two official routes of Lipulekh Pass (operational since 1981) in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass (operational since 2015) in Sikkim.

Following a meeting under the Foreign Secretary-Vice Foreign Minister mechanism in January this year, both sides announced their intentions to resume the Yatra in the summer of 2025.

The meeting, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively and agreed to undertake certain people-centric measures to stabilize and rebuild ties, as agreed upon by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan in October 2024.

Both nations also reached an agreement in principle to resume direct air services, with the relevant technical authorities from both sides negotiating an updated framework.