NEW DELHI, Aug. 2: India and China have resumed border trade through the Nathu La Pass in the northeastern Indian state of Sikkim after a six-year suspension, reopening a key section of the historic Silk Route and signaling a cautious improvement in bilateral engagement.
Trade through the mountain pass restarted on Saturday after being suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The route, which connects India’s Sikkim state with China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, was first reopened in 2006 after remaining closed for 44 years following the 1962 India-China war.
Under a mutually agreed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), cross-border trade will take place from May to November each year, operating Monday through Thursday. Both sides will continue trading the same list of 36 approved goods.
India’s exports include handicrafts, handloom products, spices, processed food, agricultural equipment, garments, utensils and religious items. Imports from Tibet include woolengarments, footwear, yak products, butter, borax, goats and blankets.
Ahead of the reopening, authorities upgraded and repaired infrastructure at the Nathu La Integrated Check Post, which had deteriorated during years of inactivity and harsh weather. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) also strengthened security by deploying additional personnel, including, for the first time, a platoon of women personnel to assist border trade operations.
Officials said up to 400 traders will be allowed to conduct business through the route during a trading season. However, only a limited number of permits have been issued so far, with more traders expected to receive clearance following verification by district authorities and the State Intelligence Branch.
Officials described the reopening as a modest but significant confidence-building measure that could help restore normal activity along the India-China border, even though it is unlikely to transform broader bilateral relations immediately.
