India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals for the first time in five years as the relationship between the two nations turned sour after the Galwan Valley clash.

The visas are likely to be issued from July 24 (Wednesday), news agency Reuters reported, citing the Indian Embassy in China.

Tensions between India and China have eased slightly after a prolonged chill sparked by the deadly 2020 military clash along LAC. In the aftermath, India banned Chinese apps, restricted investments, and cut passenger routes, while China suspended visas citing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although China resumed issuing visas for students and business travellers in 2022, tourist visas for Indian nationals remained restricted until March 2025, when both sides agreed to restart direct air services.

Recent high-level engagements, including a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia last October, signal cautious optimism.