In a significant breakthrough for Himachal Pradesh, China has agreed in principle to reopen border trade with India through Shipki-La in Kinnaur district. The decision was conveyed during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit to India, the Himachal government confirmed on Sunday.
The border trade route, suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, was once a vital link for Indo-Tibetan economic and cultural exchanges. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the state that New Delhi has initiated talks with Beijing to resume trade not only at Shipki-La but also at Lipulekh (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La (Sikkim).
According to the state, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s intervention played a key role. His letter to the Union government pressing for the reopening of the route prompted the Centre to raise the issue with China, eventually leading to a consensus.
Alongside trade, the Himachal government has also received a favorable response on allowing the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Shipki-La, a comparatively shorter and more convenient path. With road connectivity already extending up to the pass, officials said creating base camps and support facilities would be feasible.
State authorities believe reopening Shipki-La could transform the regional economy, enhance tourism, and revive centuries-old cultural ties between India and Tibet.