India and China will resume direct flights between specific cities this month, concluding a break of over five years, in a development that indicates a careful reduction of bilateral tensions, India’s foreign ministry announced on Thursday.
Since 2020, there have not been any direct flights operating between the two nations, despite China being India’s largest partner in bilateral trade.
IndiGo announces new flight routes
India’s biggest airline IndiGo announced it will launch daily direct flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou starting on October 26. The airline is also set to introduce a New Delhi–Guangzhou route, expanding air connectivity between the two countries.
Modi’s visit to China
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to China a month ago for the first time in seven years to participate in a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) regional security group.
During discussions, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed that India and China are development partners rather than adversaries. Both leaders explored methods to enhance trade relations amidst global tariff instability.
Trade and border concerns
While emphasizing India’s dedication to improving bilateral ties, Modi raised concerns regarding the nearly $99.2 billion trade deficit with China.
He also highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and stability along the contested border, where a conflict in 2020 sparked a five-year military impasse between the two nations.
