The resumption of commercial activity, suspended in 2020, is another step toward the normalization of ties

India and China will resume border trade from August 1, marking another step in the normalization of bilateral ties between the Asian giants.

Border trade through the Nathu La Pass will resume on Saturday, six years after it was suspended following the Covid-19 pandemic. The reopening ceremony is expected to be attended by officials from both sides. The resumption of trade is expected to boost cross-border commerce, benefiting registered traders, transport operators and allied businesses. Nathu La sits on the Silk Road, an ancient network of trade routes connecting Asia with West Asia and Europe.

Border trade through Lipulekh, which began in 1992 and was suspended in 2020, is also set to resume, according to a report. The trading season officially began on June 1 but resumption of cross-border trade was delayed due to preparatory work being conducted by both sides.

India and China have been steadily building back economic and trade ties since a border skirmish in 2020 in eastern Ladakh left 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese soldiers dead. Bilateral ties have mostly returned to normal, with both sides initiating confidence-building measures, including the resumption of direct flights and updates to the visa regime, apart from steps to resume border trade.

Earlier this month, New Delhi cleared Chinese investment in the critical power sector and a joint venture for mobile phone manufacturing.

Last year, the countries resumed the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, an annual pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Sun Haiyan, the vice minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, in Beijing on Monday.

They discussed ways to deepen implementation of guidance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping to promote political, people-to-people, academic, and think-tank exchanges.

(RT.com)