India, China Agree to Restart Direct Flights
(MENAFN) India and China have officially agreed to resume direct air travel after a five-year suspension, marking a significant step in their evolving relationship. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday that both nations have ratified a fresh air services pact enabling designated airlines to operate direct flights between specified cities, contingent upon fulfilling all operational and commercial standards. This renewed arrangement is slated to begin with the upcoming winter flight schedule.
Leading the charge, India’s largest budget airline, Indigo, revealed plans on Thursday to reinstate a daily nonstop flight linking Kolkata and Guangzhou starting October 26.
Direct flights between the two Asian giants were halted in early 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic swept the globe, bringing travel to an abrupt halt.
Efforts to mend the diplomatic rift, which intensified following a deadly border clash in 2020 resulting in casualties on both sides, have gradually gained momentum. The breakthrough followed a pivotal meeting last October between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia.
Further progress was seen this July when India resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals after a half-decade freeze. Modi then made a landmark visit to China in August, his first since 2018, to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin.
During their summit interaction, Modi declared, “Our relationship got a positive direction. There is peace and stability on the borders.” In Tianjin, the two leaders agreed on multiple initiatives aimed at enhancing border management, swiftly reinstating direct flights, and reopening border trade routes.
This development reflects a deliberate thaw in diplomatic ties, underscoring both nations’ intent to move forward with cooperation and connectivity.
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