India, China to resume direct flights next month
(MENAFN) India and China are preparing to resume direct passenger flights as early as next month, according to reports citing sources familiar with the ongoing discussions.
Authorities in New Delhi have instructed airlines such as Air India and IndiGo to be ready to launch flights to China on short notice, with an official announcement expected during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in China on August 31, as stated by sources.
Prior to the suspension caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Indian and Chinese carriers operated direct flights between major cities in both countries.
The planned resumption is being viewed as a further sign of warming ties between the two Asian nations, whose relationship had been strained following a deadly border clash in the Himalayas in 2020.
Moves to normalize relations began in October 2024 after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held discussions on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. Both leaders agreed to disengage from contentious border areas and pledged to work toward rebuilding bilateral ties.
Following several rounds of military and diplomatic meetings, initiatives to reduce trade and investment restrictions between the two nations have gained traction. Beijing has long sought the restoration of direct flights between mainland China and India.
In recent developments, New Delhi resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals last month after a five-year hiatus. Additionally, in June, Indian pilgrims traveled to Tibet for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, a major Hindu pilgrimage, marking the first journey since 2020.
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