India and China Resume Direct Flights after Five-Year Suspension

DID Press: India and China have resumed direct passenger flights for the first time in five years, in what analysts view as a sign of easing tensions and a gradual normalization of relations between the two Asian giants.

The first direct flight between the two countries took off on Sunday, October 26, from Kolkata to Guangzhou, operated by Indian budget carrier IndiGo. It marked the first air connection since the suspension of services in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent border clashes in the Ladakh region that strained bilateral ties.

IndiGo said it plans to launch regular flights between New Delhi and Guangzhou starting November 9. Meanwhile, a Chinese carrier is set to resume its own services between Shanghai and New Delhi beginning Monday, October 27.

The resumption comes after years of deepening mistrust following deadly border skirmishes along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in 2020. Diplomatic ties between the two nations had been largely frozen, with economic and people-to-people exchanges severely limited.

The decision to restore direct air connectivity follows a recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where both leaders reportedly discussed steps to stabilize bilateral relations.

Analysts say the move may pave the way for renewed economic engagement between the world’s two most populous nations.

“Restarting direct flights is a symbolic but significant gesture,” said New Delhi-based analyst Meera Sinha. “It reflects a mutual recognition that prolonged estrangement hurts both sides—economically and strategically—especially amid growing US pressure on Asian trade routes.”

Trade between India and China exceeded $135 billion last year despite ongoing political frictions. Officials from both sides have hinted at further measures to restore business and tourism links in the coming months.