Cross-border trade between India and China through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district is set to resume in June 2026, reviving a historic Himalayan trade route. The move is expected to support local livelihoods, restore traditional trade links and strengthen regional connectivity in the border area.

BulletsIn

• Trade between India and China through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand is set to resume in June 2026 after a gap, reviving an important historic cross-border route in the Himalayas.
• Lipulekh Pass is located in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, near the India-Nepal-China trijunction, and connects India with Tibet Autonomous Region of China.
• The pass is situated at an altitude of around 5,334 metres, making it one of the strategically important high-altitude mountain passes in the Himalayan frontier.
• It has been used for centuries as an ancient trade route linking communities of the Indian subcontinent with the Tibetan plateau through regulated exchange of goods.
• Lipulekh became the first Indian border post opened for trade with China in 1992, and later other passes like Shipki La and Nathu La were also opened.
• The reopening is expected to benefit local border communities, especially those historically dependent on trans-Himalayan trade and seasonal commercial exchange.
• The pass also has major religious importance because it serves as a key route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, sacred to Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
• Resumption of trade is significant not only for local economic activity but also for improving border connectivity, infrastructure and India’s strategic presence in the Himalayan region.