India and China will resume border trade through the Nathu La Pass in East Sikkim from 1 August 2026, restoring a key Himalayan trade route after a six-year suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and border tensions.

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• India and China will officially resume border trade through the Nathu La Pass in East Sikkim from 1 August 2026, marking the reopening of a strategically important trade corridor after six years.
• Border trade through Nathu La Pass had remained suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened tensions along the India-China border, affecting cross-border commerce and local livelihoods.
• Located on the historic Silk Road, Nathu La Pass serves as one of the two designated border trade routes between India and China and has facilitated regulated cross-border trade since its reopening in 2006.
• Border trade through Nathu La is generally permitted for six months each year, from May to November, under bilateral arrangements aimed at promoting economic activities in frontier regions.
• Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand is the second designated India-China border trade route, which was also suspended in 2020 and operates under a similar bilateral trade framework.
• The decision to resume trade follows ongoing diplomatic engagement, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to China, where discussions focused on bilateral relations and priority areas of cooperation.
• India is simultaneously strengthening border infrastructure through the 45-kilometre Sivok-Rangpo railway project, with plans to extend rail connectivity towards Nathu La Pass to improve strategic mobility and regional connectivity.
• The reopening of the Nathu La trade route is expected to support border communities, enhance economic activity in the Himalayan region, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, and contribute to the gradual normalisation of India-China bilateral relations.