India Resumes E-Visas for Chinese Tourists After Five-Year Gap

The Voice of Chandigarh :

In a significant move towards restoring people-to-people exchanges, India has reopened tourist e-visas for Chinese citizens, ending a five-year suspension imposed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and amid heightened border tensions.

The Indian Embassy in Beijing announced the decision, effective July 24, which has been welcomed by the tourism and hospitality sectors as a major boost for business. Before the freeze, nearly 3.4 lakh Chinese tourists visited India in 2019, but arrivals dropped drastically in subsequent years.

Industry experts believe the resumption could revive spiritual, cultural, and heritage tourism circuits, especially destinations such as Bodh Gaya, Varanasi, and Kerala, which are popular with Chinese travelers.

The move also comes at a time when India and China are cautiously engaging in dialogue to ease strained ties. While unresolved border disputes remain, the reopening of tourist visas is being seen as a positive step in rebuilding trust and enhancing economic cooperation.