From 2000 to the end of July 2015, Tibet’s Ngari has received altogether 8,649 official pilgrims from India, China News reported.

According to the official data of Ngari prefecture, Ngari began to formally receive Indian official pilgrims from 1984. Established in 1985, the Ngari Travel Agency began to receive Indian civilian pilgrims and teams from a third country.

Located at the southwest border of China and in the southwest of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Ngari abuts India and Nepal. Mt. Kailash(or Mt.Gang Rinpoche), in Burang County of Ngari is the "holy land" in the heart of Buddhist and Hinduism believers. For quite a long time, the Indian pilgrims have entered Tibet via Lipulekh Pass in Burang County.

In 2014, China and India signed the Joint Statement on Building a Closer Developmental Partnership, further deepening the friendship between the two peoples. In June this year, Nathula channel, a new route for Indian pilgrims to Ngari, was opened to the public. 

In order to better serve the Indian pilgrims, Ngari has renovated five sites for receiving Indian official pilgrims in Tsurphu Monastery, Thar Chen, Drira Puk, Tsondre Pukand and Burang County respectively, near Mount Kailash and Holy Lake Manasarovar. Since the beginning of this year, ten groups of Indian official pilgrims, totaling 451, have arrived in Ngari.

Since 2005, Ngari’s tourism has seen an annual growth rate of over 12 percent. According to local statistics, from 2000 to 2012, Ngari received all together 830,000 domestic and foreign tourists (including those who came repeatedly), with a revenue of 520 million yuan, registering a foreign exchange earning of over 20 million dollars and a profit tax of more than 30 million yuan.

Currently, a tourist route in Ngari has taken shape, led by Mount Kailash and Holy Lake Manasarovar and flanked by Zanda Clay Forest and Pangong Tso Lake in Rutog County. Meanwhile, local authorities also support tourist souvenir enterprises to develop characteristic tourist commodities through providing funds and subsidized loans to promote development of the tertiary industry.

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