Nathula trade route to reopen in June

The trade route between India and China was closed after the 1962 war.

The long-awaited Sino-Indian border trade through the Nathula Pass in East Sikkim will resume next month.

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This was announced by the Principal Secretary of the Department of Commerce and Industries Karma Gyatso at the inaugural session of the two-day awareness workshop on foreign trade on Thursday.

He, however, said the Centre was yet to decide a date for the resumption of trade between the two neighbours through the Himalayan pass.

The infrastructure needed to handle initial trade between the two countries was perfectly in place at Nathula and Sherathang, about five kms down the border outpost, he said.

He also said that the state government had fulfilled its role of a facilitator in the bilateral trade.

Sherathang is the place where an impressive trade mart has been set up besides, a parking lot to accommodate the trucks that will carry material to be traded between the two countries.

Besides the trade mart, all the related infrastructure like a 250 KVA power substation and an 11 KVA transmission line, a BSNL telephone exchange, a branch post office, a SBI branch and other offices including customs and excise check posts have been set up at Sherathang which will be the hub of trading activities with the opening of the trade route, the Commerce and Industries secretary said.