India and China are the two most populated countries in the world. Geographically, they’re also neighbors: they share a 2,500-mile border. But for the past five years, their citizens have been unable to visit each other’s countries. Now, however, leaders of both nations have begun taking steps to improve relations between the two “Asian giants.” Here, btw takes a closer look at the situation.
An Historic Dispute
The border between India and China runs through the Himalayan Mountains, glaciers, dense forest, and other challenging terrain. As a result, much of it is unmarked and not clearly defined, which makes it difficult to know exactly who has control of what areas. This has historically led to disputes between the two nations. In fact, disagreement over the border was a primary cause of the bloody 1962 Sino-Indian War. Fighting in the mountains went on for four months, and eventually China announced a ceasefire and withdrew its troops.
However, this did not end the conflict. Further clashes continued to occur. During the war, the Indian government also passed the Defense of India Act, which led to the arrest of Chinese resident living in India. Anyone who was suspected of being sympathetic to the Chinese government was also arrested and sent to remote camps, where they were held for several years. The camps were not liberated until 1967. This caused further deterioration in the relations between the two countries.
Bloody Conflict in 2020
Though border relations remained tense, the two nations avoided more deadly skirmishes for over forty years. But in June 2020, another conflict arose out of a border dispute, this time in the Galwan Valley, a region between Indian Ladakh and Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin. The conflict began when India said that China had set up two tents and observation towers on the Indian side of the border and set the structures on fire in response. When Chinese troops confronted them, fighting broke out. About 900 total soldiers were involved in the conflict, in which they fought each other with rocks, sticks, and nails. Twenty Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in the bloody hand-to-hand battle.
Since then, the border (known as the Line of Actual Control, or LAC) has been heavily patrolled by both sides. Chinese nationals are not allowed into India, and Indian nationals aren’t allowed into China. The countries have also frozen each other out in other ways: India banned several Chinese apps, and direct air flights between the two nations were cancelled.
Thawing Relations
Now, for the first time since 2020, leaders of both nations have begun taking steps to improve diplomatic relations between their countries. Last October, Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia and began diplomatic talks. Then, in January 2025, both countries agreed to resume direct air travel between the two nations. In March, China agreed to allow tourism from Indian citizens. And beginning July 24, India began issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens for the first time in five years.