India-China reopen Nathu La route, reviving historic Silk Route trade corridor
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "India-China reopen Nathu La route, reviving historic Silk Route trade corridor")
India-China reopen Nathu La route, reviving historic Silk Route trade corridor Photograph: (Wikimedia Commons)
India-China border trade through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass resumes after six years, reviving a historic Silk Route link and signalling gradual restoration of cross-border exchanges.
Border trade between India and China through Sikkim’s Nathu La Pass has resumed from Saturday (Aug 1) after a six-year suspension, reopening one of the oldest trade links between the two countries. The route, which connects India’s Sikkim with Tibet, was shut in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its reopening comes as both sides look to gradually restore some economic and people-to-people exchanges after years of strained ties.
Trade through Nathu La first resumed in 2006, nearly 44 years after the route was closed following the 1962 India-China war. The move was then seen as a major confidence-building measure and a way to revive traditional trade links along the old Silk Route. However, it was suspended again in 2020 following the COVID-19 outbreak.
The current trading season will continue from May to November, as per the Standard Operating Procedures agreed upon by both countries. Trade will take place from Monday to Thursday, with both sides retaining the existing list of 36 approved commodities.
India’s export list includes 36 items, including handicrafts, handloom products, spices, processed food items, agricultural tools, garments, utensils and religious articles. Imports from the Tibetan side include woollen garments, shoes, yak products, butter, borax, goats and quilts.
Before reopening the route, authorities carried out repairs and upgrades at the Nathu La Integrated Check Post, which had remained unused for years and suffered damage due to harsh weather conditions. Security arrangements have also been strengthened, with the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) deploying additional personnel. An all-women platoon has also been deployed at Nathu La for the first time to assist with trade operations.
The reopening follows the recent restart of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through the Nathu La route, another indication of renewed cross-border movement between the two countries.
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Officials said the route can accommodate up to 400 traders during a season, although only a limited number of permits have been issued so far. More traders are expected to receive clearance after verification by district authorities and the State Intelligence Branch.
While the resumption is unlikely to immediately change the broader India-China relationship, it marks a small but important step towards restoring activity along the border.
