MEA Issues Advisory After 52 Indian Pilgrims Stranded in Nepal During Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Missing Chinese Visas and Entry Permits | Current Affairs

The Ministry of External Affairs issued a travel advisory on June 28, 2026, after around 52 Indian pilgrims got stranded in Kathmandu, Nepal, while attempting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through private tour operators without valid Chinese visas and Tibet entry permits. The MEA received multiple distress calls from stranded pilgrims and warned that no one should begin the journey from India until all mandatory documents are secured in hand.

The ministry said many pilgrims started travelling expecting documentation would be arranged mid-route - a risk that left them stuck at Nepal. It also asked pilgrims to verify that their tour operator is officially registered. The issue was raised by NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule, who appealed to EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar and Indian embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing to help the stranded citizens. The official Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2026 had already started smoothly, with the first authorised batch entering China through Nathu La Pass in Sikkim on June 20.

Why in News: KMY routes, MEA advisories, and India-China border crossings are standard exam topics for SSC CGL, UPSC, Banking, and Railway. Key facts include the number stranded (52), location (Kathmandu), Nathu La Pass, and MEA's advisory.

Key Points to Remember:

MEA advisory issued: June 28, 2026
Around 52 Indian pilgrims stranded in Kathmandu, Nepal
Cause: Missing Chinese visa and Tibet entry permit; booked through private operators
Advisory: Do not leave India until all documents are fully secured
Do not rely on documents being arranged mid-journey
Issue raised by: NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule on June 27
She requested help from: EAM Jaishankar, Indian Embassy Kathmandu and Beijing
Official KMY 2026 started: June 20, 2026 via Nathu La Pass, Sikkim
Two official routes: Nathu La Pass (Sikkim) and Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand)
Managed by: Ministry of External Affairs and KMVN

Related Static GK:

Kailash Mansarovar: Located in Tibet Autonomous Region, China; sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bon followers; abode of Lord Shiva
Nathu La Pass: 14,140 feet; connects Sikkim to Tibet; reopened for trade in 2006 after 44-year gap
Lipulekh Pass: 17,500 feet; Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand; road completed by BRO in 2020
MEA full form: Ministry of External Affairs; Minister: Dr. S. Jaishankar
KMVN full form: Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam; manages Uttarakhand route of KMY
Supriya Sule: NCP (SP) MP from Baramati, Maharashtra; daughter of Sharad Pawar