Nathu La, part of the ancient Silk Route, was reopened for India-China border trade in 2006 after decades of closure following the 1962 war. That trade was suspended around 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic and a period of heightened border tension. Its resumption from 1 August 2026, with a trial run beforehand, revives cross-border commerce for registered traders in the region and is widely read as a marker of gradual normalisation in India-China relations. Sikkim completed the infrastructure and administrative preparations for the reopening.