India and China have reached an agreement to resume direct air services after nearly five years, as confirmed by India’s foreign ministry on Monday. This marks a positive shift in relations between the two nations, which had been strained following a deadly military clash in 2020 over their disputed Himalayan border.
A meeting will be held soon to finalize the framework for the resumption of flights, the ministry stated after discussions between India’s top diplomat and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Following the 2020 border clash, tensions escalated, leading India to impose restrictions on Chinese investments, ban numerous popular apps, and halt passenger air routes, although direct cargo flights persisted. However, relations have gradually improved over the last few months, with high-level exchanges, including talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October in Russia.
On Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of both nations working together, exploring substantive measures, and fostering mutual understanding. The meeting addressed specific concerns in economic and trade areas, with a focus on long-term policy transparency and predictability, according to the Indian foreign ministry’s statement.
This meeting follows recent efforts to ease tensions along the border, including a milestone agreement in October. Reports in June indicated that China’s government and airlines had urged India to restore direct air links, though New Delhi initially resisted due to ongoing border disputes.
Both countries also agreed to resume dialogues for gradual functional exchanges, with an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism planned. Wang stressed that India and China should prioritize “mutual support and mutual achievement” rather than “suspicion” and “alienation,” according to the Chinese foreign ministry’s account of the meeting.
