India, China reach consensus over resuming Mansarovar pilgrimage following Ajit Doval-Wang Yi meeting

The Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage is considered holy by Hindu pilgrims.

The consensus was reached between the two nations during the recent meeting between Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor of India, and Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Beijing on November 18.

The Special Representatives met in accordance with the decision taken during the recent meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan for them to meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.

"The SRs exchanged views on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. They provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges including resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers and border trade," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.

During the meeting, the special representatives reiterated the importance of maintaining a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of the boundary question, and resolved to inject more vitality into this process.

This was the first meeting of the SRs since frictions had emerged in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas in 2020.

"The SRs positively affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement of October 2024, resulting in patrolling and grazing in relevant areas," the statement said.

Narendra Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan

Amid the patrolling agreement reached between the two nations, Indian PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia in October.

Galwan Clash

The Galwan skirmish erupted from a dispute over a temporary bridge built by the Chinese in the Galwan River valley in Ladakh.

On June 15, Indian and Chinese troops engaged in a six-hour clash in the rugged terrain of Ladakh, engaging in hand-to-hand combat with makeshift weapons such as stones, batons, and iron rods.

The face-off occurred in near-complete darkness and freezing temperatures, leading to fatalities as soldiers fell or were pushed from ridges.

Twenty Indian soldiers were martyred in the clash, while China officially acknowledged four casualties, although reports indicate higher Chinese losses, as soldiers drowned in the choppy waters of the Galwan River.