India and China are set to resume direct flight services as soon as next month, a move widely seen as a sign of improving relations between the two nations. According to recent reports, the Indian government has instructed domestic carriers like Air India and IndiGo to prepare for flights to China on short notice.
Direct flights have been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic and the deadly military clashes in the Galwan Valley in June 2020. That incident marked the most serious military confrontation between the two countries in decades and led to a significant downturn in diplomatic, economic, and people-to-people exchanges. While tensions have eased over the past few years, with troops disengaging from some friction points, several border issues remain unresolved.
The resumption of flights follows other recent signs of a diplomatic thaw. The Indian government recently began issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Indian pilgrims has been revived. Furthermore, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit later this month, marking his first trip to China since 2019. This visit follows a series of high-level meetings between officials from both countries, including the defense minister, national security advisor, and external affairs minister, suggesting a concerted effort to normalize ties.
