Border trade between India and China through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass resumed on Saturday, August 1, ending a six-year suspension and reopening one of the oldest trade routes between the two countries. The pass, which links India’s Sikkim with Tibet, had been shut since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its reopening comes as both nations take gradual steps to restore economic and people-to-people ties following a prolonged period of strained relations.
Trade through Nathu La was first revived in 2006, nearly 44 years after the route had been closed in the aftermath of the 1962 India-China war. That reopening was regarded at the time as a significant confidence-building measure and a step toward reviving old trade links along the historic Silk Route. The route was suspended once again in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Under the Standard Operating Procedures agreed upon by both countries, the current trading season will run from May to November, with trade conducted from Monday to Thursday. Both sides have retained the existing list of 36 approved commodities for exchange.
India’s export list comprises 36 items, including handicrafts, handloom products, spices, processed food items, agricultural tools, garments, utensils and religious articles. On the import side, goods from the Tibetan side include woollen garments, shoes, yak products, butter, borax, goats and quilts.
Ahead of the reopening, authorities carried out repairs and upgrades at the Nathu La Integrated Check Post, which had remained unused for years and had sustained damage from harsh weather conditions. Security has also been reinforced, with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deploying additional personnel to the area. For the first time, an all-women platoon has been stationed at Nathu La to assist with trade operations.
The resumption of trade follows the recent restart of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via the Nathu La route, another sign of renewed cross-border movement between the two countries.
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Officials said the route has the capacity to accommodate up to 400 traders over the course of a season, though only a limited number of permits have been issued so far. Additional traders are expected to be cleared after verification by district authorities and the State Intelligence Branch.
While the resumption of trade is unlikely to bring an immediate shift in the broader India-China relationship, it represents a small but notable step toward restoring activity along the border.