India-China Resume Border Trade Via Nathu La In Sikkim

Why in News?
Nathu La Pass reopened on 1 August 2026 for India–China border trade after remaining closed for six years following the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the third Himalayan border pass, after Shipki La and Lipulekh, to resume trade under the India–China agreement of August 2025.

About Nathu La Pass:

• Nathu La is a mountain pass in the Eastern Himalayas located in Sikkim, on the India–China border.
• It connects Gangtok (Sikkim) with Tibet Autonomous Region (China).
• Situated at an altitude of about 4,310 metres, it was historically an important branch of the ancient Silk Route.
• It is one of the three designated border trade routes between India and China, the other two being:
  • Shipki La (Himachal Pradesh)
  • Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand)
• Border trade through Nathu La was first resumed in 2006 after being closed for several decades.
• Under the border trade arrangement, approved goods such as handicrafts, handloom products, traditional religious items and ready-made garments can be imported and exported.
• The pass is also of strategic military importance, as it is one of the few motorable passes connecting India with the Tibetan Plateau.

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