India and China are negotiating the resumption of cross-border trade in locally produced goods that has been frozen for more than five years, Bloomberg News reported, citing officials in New Delhi. Talks aim to reopen traditional Himalayan trading routes that were shut in 2020 after a lethal clash between the two countries’ troops and subsequent pandemic restrictions. The discussions mark a further attempt by Asia’s two largest economies to ease tensions along their 3,500-kilometre frontier. Border trade before the shutdown was modest in value but vital for communities in remote mountain regions, allowing the exchange of textiles, agricultural products and handicrafts. The prospective reopening follows incremental confidence-building steps—such as restoring direct flights and issuing tourist visas—and comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi signals a closer alignment with fellow BRICS members. Officials on both sides have not given a timetable for restarting commerce, but foreign-ministry statements describe consensus on reviving cross-border exchanges.