Far away from Doklam, traders who went to Tibet are welcomed, asked, ‘Bhai, late kyun?’

The traders said after selling the pashmina and carpets at markets like Manali and Reckong Peo in Himachal, they hoped to make a profit of Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000. They also talked of the warm welcome they received on the Tibetan side. “Tension is only on TV channels. They embraced us, made our stay comfortable and placed orders for the next trip. We may go on September 2 or 3, weather permitting,” said Gurdev Singh of Namgia, the gateway town to the Shipki La, located at 18,599 feet.

Singh, who has been travelling across the border for nine years, said the Tibetans reassured them that the tension would have no effect on their trade. “They said, this region is secure and safe. They, in fact, questioned, ‘Bhai, late kyun (Brother, why are you late)?”

The trade normally starts on June 1 every year and lasts till November 30, after which the route becomes snowbound. Though 94 traders applied for permits this year, only 43 were cleared. Last year, of 99 applicants, 96 were cleared. Officials admit scrutiny has been tightened. Once cleared, a trader can make any number of trips, and many make up to nine. Officials expect trade to pick up in September, after the feedback by these traders from the first batches.

Due to restrictions, only a dozen-odd items can be bought or sold in the cross-border trade, and the annual volume has never exceeded Rs 9 crore (the peak was in 2015). This year, initial estimates are of trade worth Rs 3 crore. Traders are allowed to stay in Chinese-administered Tibet only for 72 hours. Since it is barter, no currency is used.
After Shipki La, where the motorable road ends, the traders walk with their goods on mules for the next three hours, to a trade centre at Shipki village. They can’t go anywhere from the centre. The traders say they carry their own rations for the 72 hours in Tibet, such as rice and wheat flour. “We only need water to drink, cook, or to clean our utensils there. We go as a group,” Jaswant Singh says.

For many traders, who are mostly Kinnauri tribals and Dalits, or belong to BPL families, the trade through Shipki La is a crucial means of livelihood. Tourism is seasonal, and farming is tough. Many work as labourers.

Hishey Negi, the president of the Kinnaur India-China Traders Association, said, “Unlike Nathu La, which has a huge volume of traded goods, ours is restricted to locals goods or consumable items. There is, of course, demand for luxury items like wrist watches. Two years back, I went with two Seiko watches worth Rs 40,000 and brought back carpets. I was asked to bring Omega, Tissot or Rolex watches. That shows there is a need to take the trade to the next level.”

What helps is that the language spoken in the part of Tibet across from Shipki La bears similarities with the Kinnuari dialect.

Army and ITBP officials at the border said the Doklam tension has affected clearances this year. The trade applications are normally received in March and forwarded to the state Principal Secretary (Home), who consults with Central agencies, including the Ministry of Defence. Only after a scrutiny of their antecedents are applicants allowed permits/passes.

India and Tibet have a long history of trade relations, though there was a gap after the 1962 war till 1994. At the time, 82 items could be traded, including livestock such as sheep (locally called chiku). But livestock import was banned in 2012 and the list of items curtailed. Kamla Nand, a businessman, said his son pulled out of the trade after items such as livestock, thermos flask and crockery were stopped. “These items had good profit margins,” he said.

Sources in the ITBP said China didn’t appear much interested in the trade given the restrictions placed on traders from Indian side. This is why traders like Jaswant Singh feel India should allow traders from the other side to come to Kinnaur for reciprocity. Hishey Negi said, “There is a proposal to set up a trade centre at Chupan, 2 km before Zero Point. A foundation stone will be laid soon.”