New Delhi: The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a major pilgrimage for Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists, is set to resume this year, following a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 Galwan clash. The Indian government announced on Saturday that the yatra will take place between June and August 2025, with online registration now open. The last date for online applications is 13 May, 2025.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), 5 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, this year. In total, 750 pilgrims are expected to take part in the yatra. Online applications are being accepted at kmy.gov.in. “Yatris will be selected through a fair, computer-generated, random, and gender-balanced selection process,” the MEA stated.
However, the pilgrimage will present challenges for both the yatris and the government, as the routes have not been used by civilians for the past five years.
The resumption of the yatra marks a significant step in the normalization of India-China relations, especially in light of the border tensions. The yatra had been a key issue in the talks to restore diplomatic ties, which began in November this year. Negotiations gained momentum after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to China in January, where both countries agreed in principle to resume the pilgrimage.
This development is expected to pave the way for the restoration of other people-centric steps, including direct flights and interactions between media and think tanks, which India and China also agreed to in principle in January.