Mt. Kangrinboqe bridges China and India across the Himalayas

Under the vast sky of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Mount Kangrinboqe stands with its snow-capped peak pointing to the heavens, while Lake Manasarovar reflects the light of a thousand years of faith. In the summer of 2025, the long-interrupted pilgrimage route for Indian pilgrims was reopened, and the first group of pilgrims has since completed their journey. This renewed route holds the potential to serve as both a "thermometer" and a "catalyst" for improving China-India relations, as well as a modest step toward rebuilding the connection between two ancient civilizations.

Mount Kangrinboqe and Lake Manasarovar, as sacred spaces that transcend religious boundaries, embody the shared spiritual aspirations of Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist devotees. In Hindu texts, Mount Kangrinboqe is known as "Mount Kailash," the abode where Shiva practiced his ascetic practices, and pilgrims can cleanse their sins and achieve liberation. This belief dates back to the Vedic era and has been deeply embedded in the collective cultural memory of Hindus. As the spokesperson of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated, Indian pilgrims' visits to Xizang for religious pilgrimage are "an important part of the cultural and people-to-people exchange between the two countries." By opening its spiritual sanctuary to Indian believers with grandeur, China demonstrates its commitment to protecting diverse religious cultures and embodies the Eastern wisdom of "harmony in diversity." This action directly addresses the core of civilizational dialogue, which is the respect for spiritual beliefs, representing the deepest empathy between civilizations.

The restoration of the pilgrimage route, marking the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and India, carries significant symbolic importance. Reflecting on the 2014 Joint Statement between the Republic of India and the People's Republic of China on building a closer developmental partnership, the pilgrimage route was once a key pillar of cultural cooperation between the two countries. However, it has been stalled in recent years due to border disputes. The reactivation of this mechanism is viewed by some observers as a possible step from "de-escalation" to "re-engagement," which could help create a buffer space for higher-level political dialogue.

At a meeting on the sidelines of the 2024 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, the Chinese and Indian foreign ministers reached a consensus that the status quo between the two countries from 2020 to 2024 was "not in either side's interest." This statement subtly echoes the resumption of pilgrimages. By engaging in low-political-sensitivity exchanges, the two countries can bypass the geopolitical challenges and take the lead in cultural engagement. This approach of "cultural leadership followed by political engagement" could serve as a point of reference in exploring ways to manage complex bilateral relations in the future.

The pilgrimage journey is fundamentally a spiritual dialogue that transcends national boundaries. When Indian pilgrims pray with their palms together at the base of Mount Kangrinboqe, and Tibetan mothers present khata scarves to guests from afar, these acts create vivid scenes of people-to-people diplomacy. This subtle cultural integration, much like the symbiosis of the lotus flower and the Gesang flower, fosters new vitality in diversity. When cultural exchange functions as a relatively stable aspect of bilateral ties, it may help create a more conducive environment for rebuilding political trust.

The snowmelt from Mount Kangrinboqe flows into the Ganges and the Yarlung Zangbo River, enriching the fertile soil of two great civilizations. From the perspective of human civilization, in this uncertain world, culture remains the most enduring bond.

When different civilizations learn to coexist despite their differences, humanity will ultimately find the right path forward. Just as pilgrims measure the path of faith with their feet, the future China-India relationship needs to be built on mutual trust, step by step with patience and wisdom.

(The author Qian Feng is senior research fellow of the National Strategic Institute at Tsinghua University.)