Indiaâs decision to restart issuing tourist visas for Chinese nationals is a strong signal that diplomacy over restoring ties rent apart by the LAC military standoff and Galwan clash of 2020 is moving smoothly. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan last October, there have been a number of high-level meetings; the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) has been convened three times. The visa decision comes a month after China reopened the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra pilgrimage. The two sides have also agreed in principle to revive direct flights, and it is hoped visas for journalists will follow. A joint statement last month said that they would hold âcertain functional dialoguesâ to discuss economic issues and trade, presumably to address Indiaâs restrictions on Chinese investment, and Chinaâs export restrictions on fertilizer and critical minerals. The export restrictions are causing considerable disruption in Indian technology sector companies, and even Japanese and South Korean automotive companies based in India have raised concerns over supply chain issues. The measures are expected to continue to roll out as preparations begin for the expected visit of Mr. Modi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in August. The WMCC held on Wednesday in Delhi discussed preparations for the next meeting of Special Representatives on the China-India boundary question, to discuss dispute resolution; Chinaâs Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that it is speaking to India about New Delhiâs concerns over the mega-dam project on the Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo) in Tibet.However, both sides have been muted about the reason for the rupture in ties in the first place. There has been little discussion over what prompted the Chinese PLA to transgress the LAC in 2020, which led to the Galwan clash, and what guarantees Beijing has given that this would not be repeated. While in December 2024, the government told Parliament that normalcy in ties could only follow the restoration of âpeace and tranquillity in the border areasâ, it appears it is now prepared to continue to normalise other parts of the relationship without achieving troop de-escalation, dismantling of infrastructure in disputed areas and buffer zones that would lead to restoring patrolling to pre-2020 levels. Ties have also been impacted over Operation Sindoor, with revelations that the PLA was in lock-step with Pakistanâs army. The government must realise that restoring mechanisms of bilateral ties are not by themselves sufficient for rebuilding trust. Sweeping key issues under the carpet, without some transparency on the path ahead, could put the whole process of reviving relations at risk.Published - July 25, 2025 12:20 am IST