Border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district will resume this year after being suspended for six years, officials said, according to PTI.District Magistrate Ashish Bhatgai said preparations have been started following instructions from the central government for the trade session, which usually runs between June and September. This restoration has happened after the No Objection Certificate (NOC) was issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.He said that Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has written a letter to Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan requesting to restore trade through the Himalayan passes. The letter also said that approval has been given by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The district administration has been asked to coordinate with the concerned departments to ensure operational preparedness for the 2026 business season. Contact details of local authorities will be shared with Chinese counterparts to improve coordination between the two sides.Authorities responsible for issuing trade passes, designated banks handling currency exchange, Customs Department and Dharchula administration have been directed to prepare a comprehensive action plan. This includes arrangements for transit camps, communication facilities, banking services, security deployment and medical assistance for traders.Border trade with Tibet through the Lipulekh route first resumed in 1992 after a long suspension, but was stopped again in 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.Welcoming the decision, Jeevan Singh Ronkali, president of the Frontier Trade Organization in Pithoragarh, said reopening of the route will help traders bring back goods that are lying in warehouses in Taklakot in Tibet since trade activities were halted in 2019.
