Follow Us
Beijing, April 22
India and China on Sunday agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route in Sikkim, Ministry of External Affairs said, 10 months after the pilgrimage was stopped following the Doklam standoff.
The decision was made during External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here.
“We are also happy that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route will be resumed this year.
“I am confident that with Chinese side’s full cooperation, this year the yatra will be a fulfilling experience for the visiting Indian pilgrims,” Swaraj said during a joint press statement with Wang.
The yatra was stopped by China in the aftermath of the military face-off with India last year at Doklam.
The standoff began on June 16 after the Indian troops intervened and stopped the Chinese Army from building a road in the area claimed by Bhutan as it posed a security risk to Chicken Neck, the narrow corridor connecting India with its north-eastern states. Finally, the two armies “disengaged” on August 28.
Ministry of External Affairs organises the yatra from June to September each year through two different routes—Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).
The yatra, which holds religious value, cultural significance, is undertaken by hundreds of people every year.
Holding significance for Hindus as the abode of Lord Shiva, it holds religious importance also for the Jains and the Buddhists. It is open to eligible Indian citizens, holding valid Indian passports, who wish to proceed to Kailash Manasarovar for religious purposes.
Swaraj arrived here on Saturday on a four-day visit to take part in the Foreign Ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
She was received by Wang at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing ahead of their bilateral meeting.
This was their first meeting after Wang was elevated as state councillor last month which makes him the top diplomat of the country in the Chinese hierarchy. He also continues to be the foreign minister.
In her initial remarks, Swaraj congratulated Wang on being elevated as state councillor and appointed the special representative for the India-China boundary talks.
Wang said the bilateral ties have witnessed a good development and shown a positive momentum this year under the guidance of the leaders of the two nations.
“On the eve of the closing of China’s National People’s Congress this year, President Xi Jinping received a very important phone call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
He said the call spurred a positive momentum in the dialogue process between the two countries.
“Our two leaders had in-depth exchange of views and reached important consensus on furthering the China-India relationship. We must work very hard to implement the consensus between our two leaders.
“India’s membership to the SCO has expanded the orgainsation’s potential and its influence, as well as providing a new platform for the India-China cooperation and I believe that India will make a positive and energetic contribution to the organisation,” Wang said.
Their meeting is part of efforts by the two countries to step up the pace of high-level interactions to improve relations, official sources here told PTI before the meeting. — PTI
4
6