At 3,930 metres in Himachal’s Kinnaur district, the Shipki La pass was once a lifeline of India-Tibet trade. For centuries, locals exchanged wool, yaks, and turquoise from Tibet for grains, spices, and metals from India. This trade was sealed by a poetic oath of eternal friendship, showing how culture and commerce intertwined.

But the route shut after the 1962 India-China war, later worsened by Doklam tensions and the pandemic. Now, Himachal Pradesh has reopened Shipki La to Indian tourists without permits, sparking hope of revival.

Reopening trade may not add much to India-China commerce, but it could change lives locally, boosting jobs, tourism, and even shortening the Delhi-Mansarovar journey by two weeks.

Culturally, the pass connects Buddhist communities on both sides, sharing surnames, traditions, and festivals. More than just geography, Shipki La represents heritage, diplomacy, and opportunity. Its revival could turn an old route into a new corridor of peace and growth.