After six years halt, India-China trade via Lipulekh Pass set to restart

Border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district will resume this year after remaining suspended for six years, officials said, according to PTI.District Magistrate Ashish Bhatgai said preparations have been initiated following directions from the Union government for the trade session, which typically runs between June and September. The resumption follows the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by the Ministry of External Affairs.He said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has written to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan requesting restoration of trade through the Himalayan pass. The letter also noted that clearances have been granted by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The district administration has been asked to coordinate with concerned departments to ensure operational readiness for the 2026 trade season. Local officials’ contact details will be shared with Chinese counterparts to improve coordination between the two sides.Authorities responsible for issuing trade passes, designated banks handling currency exchange, the Customs Department and the Dharchula administration have been directed to prepare a comprehensive action plan. This includes arrangements related to transit camps, communication facilities, banking services, security deployment and medical support for traders.Border trade with Tibet via the Lipulekh route had earlier resumed in 1992 after a long suspension, but was halted again in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Welcoming the decision, Jeevan Singh Ronkali, president of the Simant Vyapar Sangathan in Pithoragarh, said reopening the route would allow traders to retrieve goods that have been lying in warehouses in Tibet’s Taklakot since trade activities were stopped in 2019