New Delhi: Sikkim’s lone Rajya Sabha MP, Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, on Wednesday urged the Centre to provide urgent clarity on the reopening of border trade between India and China through the Nathula Pass.
He said the continued suspension of trade since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020 has “severely affected the economic and livelihood conditions of traditional traders, transporters and porters” in Sikkim’s border communities.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Upper House, Lepcha said he wished to draw the government’s immediate attention to the “problem of suspension of border trade through the historic Nathula Pass,” stressing that generations of people in the region have depended on cross-border commerce for survival. The trade route has now remained shut for more than four years, leaving local traders struggling to sustain themselves, he added.
Lepcha noted that although reports indicate India and China have recently held discussions and reached an in-principle understanding on reopening certain routes, “there is still no official announcement or clarity regarding the timeline for resumption of the trade route.” He said residents in the Nathula region have been waiting anxiously for clear direction from the government, emphasising that the matter is linked not only to livelihoods but also to national security interests and regional stability.
The MP asked whether the government has taken any final decision on reopening the Nathula trade route and, if so, what timeline is being considered. He also sought to know whether the Centre plans to introduce special preference, quotas or facilitation measures for traditional border-area traders, local drivers and porters from Sikkim to help revive their economic well-being once trade resumes.
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Lepcha further requested details of the steps taken so far to support the affected population—such as financial relief, infrastructure development, transport assistance or simplification of customs procedures—pointing out that many have suffered prolonged economic hardship since the closure.
“The people living around Nathula have been waiting for a clear direction from the government,” he said, urging the Centre to urgently clarify the status and announce a concrete policy framework for reopening the route.
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