India resumes tourist visas for Chinese citizens after 5 years

India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens starting July 24, New Delhi's diplomatic mission in Beijing announced Wednesday, according to Chinese state media.

Beginning Friday, Chinese citizens can apply for tourist visas to visit India, the Indian Embassy said in a notice posted on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

This marks the first time since 2020 that India has reopened tourist visa applications for Chinese nationals.

New Delhi and Beijing have taken steps to normalize ties after tensions escalated between the two countries in 2020 when deadly clashes along the disputed border in Jammu and Kashmir resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

"We have noted this positive move. Making cross-border travel easier serves the common interest of all parties," China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a news conference in Beijing.

He added, "China stands ready to maintain communication, coordination with India to keep facilitating people-to-people exchanges between the two countries."

However, New Delhi has yet to resume direct flights to China despite the reopening of visa services.