(TibetanReview.net, May28’26) – The ancient trade route between Tibet and India through the latter’s Lipulekh in Uttarakhand state’s Pithoragarh district is set to reopen after being closed, most recently, since 2020 in the aftermath of Covid-19 pandemic and then the Galwan Valley conflict.
The border trade may begin in first week of June, reported bhaskarenglish.in May 28. It noted that a list of 300 traders from Uttarakhand’s Pithoragarh district has been sent to India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The report said traders will be able to reach Tibet’s Taklakot market through special trade passes without requiring visas or passports. Besides, for the first time, goods will be transported by vehicles instead of horses and mules, as roads have now reached close to the border.
Taklakot is located in Purang County, home to the sacred Mt Kailash and Lake Mansarovar, in eastern Tibet’s Ngari prefecture.
The centuries-old route has historically been more than just a trade corridor. It has long symbolised cultural, economic, and social ties between Himalayan civilisations. Tibetan traders once travelled to India with caravans of yaks and sheep carrying salt, wool, and borax, while Indian traders took cloth, grains, and spices to Tibet, the report noted.
The trade route remained shut for years after the 1962 India-China war, following China’s full takeover of Tibet in 1959. It was reopened in 1991, but suspended again amid tensions following the Galwan clash.
Amid improving diplomatic engagement between India and China, the move is also reportedly being viewed as a sign of renewed trust and dialogue. However, Nepal’s objections over the Lipulekh region and the continuing border dispute still make the area strategically sensitive, the report said.
The reopening is expected to influence not only business but also the economy on both sides of the border. The registration process will begin after formal approval from India’s Ministry of External Affairs and the Chinese administration. After crossing the border, traders will be able to use roads on the Tibetan side to reach Taklakot market, around 18 kilometres away, the report said.
During the nearly seven years of trade suspension, many shops in Taklakot’s old market were allotted to Nepali and other traders. Now, a new trade market has been developed for Indian and Nepali traders, with Indian traders receiving shops, the report said.
Traditionally, border trade through the Lipulekh Pass takes place every year between June and September.