India Welcomes Chinese Tourists Again: Visa Regime Now “Fully Functional”

• Written by Gungun Bhatia

  Reviewed by Rashmi Rai

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India has officially restored visa services for Chinese tourists and business travellers. This marks the end of a five-year suspension. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the new visa policy on Wednesday. It is viewed as an essential step to boost tourism, business exchanges, and cultural ties between the two nations.

What Has Changed?

According to the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, visas for Chinese nationals for both tourism and business purposes have resumed. The visa regime is now fully functional.

Tourist visa issuance was officially resumed worldwide in November 2025, following a partial reopening that started in July. Business visas had already been in effect.

Why Does It Matter?

The suspension began after the 2020 border clashes between India and China in the Galwan Valley. Since then, China has been mostly missing from India’s visitor statistics. The number of Chinese tourists dropped dramatically from over 340,000 in 2019 to just 30,000 by 2023.

Starting in July 2025, India began reopening tourist e-visas for Chinese nationals. The November update now broadens that reopening to include all tourist and business visa categories worldwide.

A Broader Push for People-to-People Ties

The visa resumption is part of a larger set of confidence-building measures focused on people-to-people connections between the two countries. Along with visa restrictions, India and China have restored direct commercial flights as of October 2025 and revived pilgrimage routes, such as the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

Officials believe the reopening will increase tourism, foster business partnerships, and revive cultural and social exchanges that have been on hold between the two most populous nations.

The Road Ahead

With visa services back in place, India appears ready for a new wave of engagement with Chinese travellers. The extent of benefits from tourism growth, business collaboration, and cultural exchange will depend on how well visa processes are run and on how travellers respond.

As one of the first steps after a time of tense relations, the “fully functional” visa system could pave the way for better diplomatic and economic cooperation between New Delhi and Beijing.