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The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a spiritual journey eagerly awaited by many pilgrims, will finally resume between June and August 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Saturday.
In a statement, the MEA said, “This year, five batches, each consisting of 50 Yatris, and 10 batches, each consisting of 50 Yatris, are scheduled to travel through Uttarakhand State crossing over at Lipulekh Pass, and through Sikkim State crossing over at Nathu La Pass, respectively.”
Online Application Process Now Open
The Ministry informed that the official website, kmy.gov.in, has now been opened to accept applications. Pilgrims will be selected through a “fair, computer-generated, random and gender-balanced” process to ensure equal opportunity for all.
Since 2015, the entire process — from filling out the online form to the final selection — has been fully computerized.
“The applicants do not need to send letters or fax to seek information. The feedback options on the website can be used for obtaining information, registering observations or making suggestions for improvement,” the MEA added.
Discussions With China Helped Restart the Yatra
Efforts to restart the pilgrimage had been ongoing since early this year. India and China worked together to finalize the necessary arrangements for the Yatra to resume.
The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra had been suspended since 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and because the Chinese side did not renew the earlier travel agreements. Before the pandemic, the Indian government had been organizing the pilgrimage every year between June and September, through two main routes — the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand (since 1981) and the Nathu La Pass in Sikkim (since 2015).
It was after a high-level meeting in January 2025, under the Foreign Secretary–Vice Foreign Minister mechanism, that both sides agreed to bring back the Yatra in summer 2025.
Meeting Between Indian and Chinese Officials Played Key Role
In the January meeting, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri led the Indian team. The two sides reviewed the state of India-China relations in depth and decided to take “people-centric” steps to rebuild ties. These steps were in line with agreements made earlier between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting in Kazan in October 2024.
Apart from resuming the Yatra, India and China also agreed “in principle” to restart direct flights between the two countries. The relevant technical teams from both sides are currently working to negotiate a new framework for this.
Continued Talks to Smoothen Yatra Preparations
Last month, further discussions took place between officials from the Foreign Ministries of both countries in Beijing.
During this consultation, Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the MEA, met Liu Jinsong, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry. They reviewed the progress made on steps agreed during the January meeting, including preparations to resume the Yatra.
“They took positive note of the developments in bilateral relations since the meeting of the leaders of India and China in October 2024. In the intervening period, the Foreign Ministers have met twice, while the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question have held their 23rd meeting. These high-level meetings have provided strategic guidance to stabilise and further develop relations,” said the MEA in a statement.
Focus on Strengthening Ties Through People-to-People Exchanges
Both sides also discussed plans to boost people-to-people connections.
“They agreed to continue efforts to further facilitate and promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resumption of direct flights, interaction of media and think-tanks, and celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. The two sides have made further progress on the modalities to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in 2025,” the MEA added.
They also reviewed upcoming exchanges and meetings planned for this year. The two countries are aiming to gradually resume dialogue mechanisms to address each other’s concerns and interests, hoping to put their relationship on a more stable and predictable path.
