DEHRADUN: Six years after India-Tibet trade through Uttarakhand’s Lipulekh Pass was suspended, hopes of its revival have once again been dashed at the border.
Twenty-eight Indian traders who had gathered at Gunji, the last Indian village near the China frontier in Pithoragarh district, returned to Dharchula on July 11 without crossing into Tibet. They left behind nearly 3,000 quintals of jaggery and sugar candy, now vulnerable to rain and moisture.
The group was part of a larger contingent of 100 traders and assistants who had received official passes to resume the historic trade with Taklakot (Purang) in Tibet. They were scheduled to depart on July 8, but the final clearance from the Chinese side never came.
“We have requested permission for Indian traders to visit Tibet without carrying goods and inspect the arrangements there. We are awaiting a response from the Chinese side,” Dharchula Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ashish Joshi told this newspaper.
The uncertainty has dealt a blow to the border economy. Traders said there was little point in remaining at Gunji amid shortages of food and essential supplies. Their bigger concern, however, is the goods left behind.
“Nearly 3,000 quintals of jaggery and sugar candy are stored at Gunji. With persistent rain, we fear heavy losses if the deadlock continues,” said one of the traders who returned.
The delay has added to the frustration because Nepalese merchants have reportedly been allowed to trade at the Purang market, while Indian traders continue to remain in limbo.
Trade through Lipulekh dates back centuries. It was first suspended after the 1962 India-China war, resumed in 1992 through Taklakot, and was halted again in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year, 134 traders from across the border region applied to participate. After security and administrative verification by the Special Investigation Branch, the district administration issued passes to 100 traders along with their assistants, porters and mule handlers. Regular tourists are not permitted to travel on trade passes.
In 2019, the last year the trade was operational, commerce through Lipulekh was valued at nearly Rs 3 crore. Exports stood at about Rs 1.25 crore, while imports were around Rs 1.90 crore. The route supports a network of registered border traders who depend on the seasonal trading window.
For villages such as Dharchula and Gunji, the trade is more than just commerce. It sustains transporters, porters and local markets that come alive for a few weeks every summer.
