Esther Salifu
In a major step toward rebuilding bilateral ties, India and China will resume direct flights between the two countries this month, ending a five-year suspension triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and heightened border tensions.
The long-awaited return of air connectivity comes after a series of technical consultations between civil aviation authorities on both sides.
According to an official Indian government statement released on Thursday, both countries have agreed to restart direct air services by late October, signaling a broader effort to normalize diplomatic and economic engagement.
“This agreement will further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges,” the statement said.
IndiGo, India’s largest airline, will operate the first of these resumed services, launching daily direct flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou starting October 26, with plans to extend the route to New Delhi in the near future. Bookings opened Friday.
The airline emphasized that the resumption of flights is not just about connectivity but also about “re-establishing avenues for cross-border trade, strategic business partnerships, and tourism.”
The development follows a notable shift in India-China relations. The leaders of both nations met last month for the first time in seven years, a sign of easing tensions after years of diplomatic chill, particularly since the deadly 2020 border clash in the Himalayas, which left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead the worst such incident in decades.
Since then, signs of rapprochement have emerged. In June, China allowed Indian pilgrims to once again visit Mount Kailash in Tibet one of Hinduism and Buddhism’s holiest sites for the first time since the border skirmish.
The return of direct flights is expected to significantly boost bilateral exchanges, especially in trade and tourism, between the world’s two most populous nations.
