NEW DELHI, Aug 14 — After years of frosty relations and a frozen border, India and China are now taking cautious yet hopeful steps toward reopening trade along their shared Himalayan frontier. Officials from both sides have confirmed discussions are underway to revive border trade, which has been suspended for five years.
While past trade across the icy, high-altitude passes was modest in scale, the move carries weight far beyond economic value — it’s a signal of intent. For two of Asia’s largest powers, resuming trade could mark the beginning of a slow thaw in a relationship strained by political rivalries, territorial disputes, and global trade tensions.
The timing is telling. With the global trade landscape rattled by US tariff policies, both nations seem keen to diversify economic connections and reduce friction. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected in New Delhi on Monday for high-level talks, following Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to Beijing last month.
Alongside trade discussions, both sides have already agreed to resume direct flights and reissue tourist visas — small but meaningful steps to restore trust, especially after the deadly 2020 border clash that plunged ties to their lowest point in decades.
“For a long time, China–India border trade cooperation has played an important role in improving the lives of people living along the border,” China’s foreign ministry noted, adding that both nations have “reached a consensus” to restart such exchanges.
India’s junior foreign minister, Kirti Vardhan Singh, told parliament that New Delhi is actively working with Beijing to make the resumption possible, though no official date has been set.
The discussions come as India navigates its delicate balancing act between global powers. While India is part of the US-led Quad alliance, Washington’s recent tariff threats and demands to halt Russian oil imports have created new strains.
Amid this backdrop, Indian media speculate that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might visit China later this month — his first such trip since 2018 — to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Beijing. China has already extended a warm welcome.
If border trade restarts, it will not only benefit local economies but could also serve as a much-needed gesture of goodwill, showing the world that even in a climate of geopolitical tension, dialogue remains possible.
