India, China to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh
Summary
India and China will resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via the disputed Lipulekh Pass in 2026, sparking renewed tensions with Nepal over territorial claims.
Key Points
- India and China have agreed to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra via Lipulekh Pass starting June-August 2026.
- The yatra will include batches of pilgrims traveling through India's Uttarakhand and Sikkim states.
- Nepal claims Lipulekh, currently administered by India, as part of its sovereign territory and has protested bilateral arrangements between India and China regarding the area.
- India maintains that trade through Lipulekh has been ongoing for decades and rejects Nepal's territorial claims as unjustified.
- Infrastructure plans are underway by India to support traders and pilgrims crossing through the pass.
