Reviving Skies: India and China Restore Direct Flights After Five Years

India and China announced the resumption of direct flights, ending a five-year pause, marking a significant step in restoring bilateral relations. IndiGo and China Eastern will operate initial services, enhancing connectivity and cooperation. This move follows agreements between leaders Modi and Xi Jinping to strengthen ties.

In a substantial development in India-China relations, the resumption of direct flights between the two nations has been confirmed, ending a five-year hiatus. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun announced that flights will resume by the end of October, emphasizing the commitment of both countries to strengthen bilateral ties following discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping.

The announcement comes on the heels of India revealing on October 2 that flights would restart from October 26. This move will initially see Indian carrier IndiGo and China Eastern operating services, with IndiGo already planning daily flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou. Pending regulatory approvals, IndiGo also aims to launch flights between Delhi and Guangzhou.

The restoration of air services is part of broader efforts to normalize relations, disrupted by COVID-19 and border tensions since 2020. The renewed connectivity aims to bolster people-to-people exchanges and economic collaboration, aligning with the strategic vision outlined by Modi and Xi in recent meetings, including at the Tianjin summit.

(With inputs from agencies.)