Cross-border trade between India and China through Shipki La, part of the ancient Silk Route connecting India with Tibet, resumed on Saturday after a gap of six years.
Revenue and Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi flagged off 16 traders on Saturday after presenting them with traditional Khataks (ceremonial scarves) before they departed for Shipki village in Tibet.
The minister said goods would be exchanged through a barter system, with traders required to return after spending up to 72 hours in the Tibetan region.
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Negi also inaugurated the Chhuppan Trade Mart, built at a cost of Rs 1.70 crore in the Shipki La area of Namgya Gram Panchayat in Himachal Pradesh's Kinnaur district, to facilitate border trade, according to a government statement.
He urged local traders to strictly adhere to the import-export regulations prescribed by the Union Ministry of Commerce to ensure transparency and compliance with the rules.
According to preliminary information, traders will be allowed to take 72 categories of goods from the Indian side and bring back 30 categories of goods from the Chinese side.
Responding to the Traders' Association's request to expand the list of tradable goods, the minister said the proposal would be placed before Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and subsequently conveyed to the Chinese government through the Ministry of External Affairs after following the necessary procedures.
Negi said the resumption of trade through the Shipki La route would strengthen the economy of border areas, create employment and self-employment opportunities for local youth, and boost commercial activity in the region.
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He added that the state government is continuing to focus on the holistic development of border areas by improving road connectivity, communication networks and other basic infrastructure to make life easier for people living in remote regions.
Trade through the Shipki La route had remained suspended since 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic and military tensions along the India-China border. The reopening marks the restoration of one of the historic trade links between India and Tibet after six years.
(With PTI inputs.)
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