India-China Himalayan trade route reopening explained

India and China will reopen border trade through Nathu La in Sikkim, Lipulekh in Uttarakhand and Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh. The move comes as India and China slowly try to bring their relationship back from the deep freeze that followed the 2020 Ladakh standoff. While the reopening is unlikely to bring a major jump in trade, experts say it could help border communities, tourism and people-to-people contact. Why the three passes matter The reopening is about much more than the small amount of goods that will cross the border. “There is a geopolitical angle, which is also driven by…