Aug 25, 2025: The state government announced on Sunday that Beijing has agreed in principle to reopen the Shipki-La pass in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, indicating that talks between India and China on reviving traditional border trade have made progress. In 2020, the outbreak of Covid-19 led to the suspension of the trade route, which was once a branch of the ancient Silk Route. According to the Himachal government, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu that New Delhi had started talks with Beijing about restoring border trade through all three designated points Shipki-La in Himachal Pradesh, Lipulekh in Uttarakhand, and Nathu La in Sikkim as reported. These points are Shipki-La in Himachal Pradesh, Lipulekh in Uttarakhand, and Nathu “The encouraging results of the Himachal government's persistent efforts to resume trade with China through Shipki-La (Kinnaur) have been achieved. The statement stated, "During the recent visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India, the government of China has agreed in principle to the proposal." It also stated that the breakthrough was made possible by Sukhu's own intervention. The chief minister had written to the Union government urging revival of the Indo-Tibetan trade route, after which the matter was formally taken up with China, leading to a consensus on restarting the route.
In order to complete the codal formalities, the state government stated that it would now approach the Union Commerce Ministry. Sukhu emphasised that Shipki-La, designated as a border trade point under the India-China bilateral agreement of 1994, had played a vital role in trans-Himalayan economic and cultural exchanges.

According to the statement, in addition to trade, the state has received a positive response regarding the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Shipki-La. It brought to attention the fact that the Shipki-La route, which connects via Gartok to Darchen and Mansarovar, is significantly shorter on the Tibetan side. Through Rampur Bushahr and Pooh, Himachal already has road access to Shipki-La, making it possible to build base camps and other infrastructure for the pilgrimage. Jaishankar, in a letter to the chief minister, conveyed that after a five-year gap, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra had resumed through Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La Pass in Sikkim, and discussions were underway with China on adding Shipki-La as an additional route.
The Himachal government stated that it is hopeful that these initiatives will not only reestablish border trade but also present new opportunities for the state's tourism industry, cultural exchange, and economic growth.