Will return of Indian pilgrims to Tibet help ease tensions with China?

The Star

21-06-2025

China has been urged to use the resumption of visits to Tibet by Indian pilgrims to improve relations between the two countries after years of tensions.
Earlier this year, China said it would allow pilgrims to return to the Tibet autonomous region this summer to follow two pilgrimage routes after a five-year suspension caused by Covid controls and ongoing cross-border tensions.
It is open to Indian citizens with valid passports who wish to travel to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar for religious reasons.
The sites are sacred to followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon. The pilgrimages are usually organised by the Indian government and involve treks through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand or Nathu La Pass in Sikkim.
This year, 5,561 people applied to make the journey, 750 of whom will be allowed to travel along the two routes between June and August, India's Ministry of External Affairs said last month.
'Pilgrimages by Indian devotees to Tibet have played a positive role in restoring stability in China-India relations during times of crisis,' Yang Yabo, director of the Institute of South Asia Studies at the Tibet Academy of Social Sciences in Lhasa, wrote in an article published in news platform ThePaper on Thursday.
'More importantly, they have promoted people-to-people exchanges and fostered mutual understanding between the two countries.'
China and India have been working to mend relations in recent months following years of tensions following a deadly 2020 clash along their disputed border, including an agreement to disengage troops last October.
Last week, Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri held talks with Chinese foreign vice-minister Sun Weidong, and both sides agreed to work towards the resumption of direct flights and take other moves to boost exchanges on economics and trade.
While Misri expressed his appreciation for China's decision to allow the Indian pilgrimages to resume, their long-running border dispute and rise of nationalist sentiment in both countries make this a fraught issue.
Concerns have been expressed inside India about restrictions placed on pilgrims by the Chinese government, particularly regarding religious practices and access to holy sites.
But in contrast, some Chinese nationalists are worried that allowing more religious activities might affect regional stability in Tibet, where Beijing has stressed religious activities must comply with national security rules.
But Yang argued that the pilgrimage was a 'manageable' cultural exchange given the legal safeguards in place and small numbers involved.
The numbers permitted this year are limited 'so we have the capacity and experience to ensure an orderly reception,' he said, and added that authorities have established a framework to oversee pilgrimages, including registration, route management and ecological protection.
This move 'holds groundbreaking significance in shaping the pattern of friendly exchanges between China and India,' according to a commentary published on the website of party mouthpiece People's Daily's on Thursday.
During their pilgrimage, Indian devotees will experience Tibet's religious culture, art and traditions, while Tibetans can interact with Indian pilgrims, fostering mutual understanding, it said. These exchanges will promote respect, cultural ties, and boost Tibet's tourism and services sectors, it added.
'This grass roots engagement helps eliminate misunderstandings and lays a solid public support foundation for the healthy and stable development of China-India relations,' it wrote.
'Such people-to-people interactions further promote cooperation across political, economic, and cultural fields, creating a positive environment for resolving historical issues.' - SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST