India and China may restart direct flights next month, ending a four-year suspension. The move comes before PM Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the SCO Summit, signalling improving ties after years of strained relations.
India and China are likely to restart direct passenger flight services as early as next month, Reuters reported on Tuesday. This will be the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic that planes will fly directly between the two countries. The Indian government has reportedly asked airlines such as Air India and IndiGo to be ready to operate flights to China at short notice. Before the suspension in 2020, carriers from both nations, including Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Southern and China Eastern, operated services between key cities.
Move linked to improving diplomatic relations
The resumption plan comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to Tianjin later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, marking his first trip to the country since the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash. The Prime Minister’s visit to the country may include a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In recent months, senior Indian leaders including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar have also visited China for SCO-related events. The SCO is a regional group focused on security, trade and political cooperation, with members including China, Russia and several Central Asian nations.
India-China strained ties
Direct flights between India and China were suspended in early 2020 due to the pandemic. Diplomatic ties worsened after deadly border clashes in Ladakh later that year, which left 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese troops dead. India recently eased restrictions by allowing tourist visas for Chinese nationals. The move to restore air connectivity is seen as another step toward stabilising relations. However, officials say talks are still ongoing and the exact timing of the flights could change.
(With inputs from agencies)