E-Paper
India-China direct flights to resume soon amid push to reset ties with PM Modi visit
Direct flights between India and China were halted after Covid-19 and 2020 clashes; before that, Indian airlines operated several flights a week to key cities.
India and China are set to resume direct flights as soon as September — the announcement likely around the time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the eastern neighbour at the end of August — as the two countries seek to reset political ties after years of tensions, sources have said.
This happens to also be a time when the two Asian giants are locked in a wrangle with the US over trade tariffs being imposed by President Donald Trump.
The Indian government has reportedly asked airlines in the country to prepare flights to China at short notice, with an official announcement expected around the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at the end of this month in China.
IndiGo, for instance, has already been asked to begin preparations, sources told HT.
Direct flights between India and China were halted after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing people to travel by hopping flights through hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore.
No direct flights since Covid, then border clashes
Diplomatic relations of the two Asian heavyweights also hit a new low in June 2020 when border clashes erupted in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley. The clashes led to the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese personnel.
Against the backdrop of the clashes, Delhi took a series of measures against Beijing, including a ban on Chinese mobile applications. China termed the ban “discriminatory” and considered taking the issue to the World Trade Organization.
Last month, India announced the resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals, marking a step towards relative normalisation of bilateral ties that hit their lowest point following the military standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Before the suspension, Indian airlines such as Air India and IndiGo used to operate direct flights between key cities. Over a dozen direct flights were being operated every week, connecting cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Kunming with New Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. Air China, China Southern and China Eastern also used to run direct services.
Flight resumption on the cards since January
India and China first agreed in principle to resume direct flights in January this year. The countries also agreed to promote and facilitate people-to-people contact, especially between media and think tanks.
The decision, taken at the meeting between foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, also included the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been stopped since 2020.
The diplomatic movement now, headlined by PM Modi's China visit soon, would also be seen in light of the US tariff aggression.
India-China ties heading for revival?
PM Modi is expected to visit China for the first time in seven years to attend the SCO Summit, scheduled to be held in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1.
China has welcomed PM Modi's expected visit. Its foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the Tianjin summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results, and the SCO will enter a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness.”
HT reported that the Prime Minister's visit will also set up the possibility of a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
India-China bonhomie amid Trump tariff aggression
The renewed push to resume direct flights and improve bilateral ties between the two Asian countries comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions over US President Donald Trump's tariffs on India, which he doubled from 25 per cent to 50 per cent due to New Delhi's oil purchase from Russia.
China voiced support for India as Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong publicly called Trump a “bully” and warned India that “give the bully an inch, he will take a mile,” urging New Delhi not to yield to US trade pressure.
China and the US were also engaged in a tit-for-tat battle over Trump's reciprocal tariffs, raising the levies on each other. However, Trump on Monday announced a postponement of the planned tariff hikes on Chinese goods, extending the deadline for another 90 days.
(with inputs from Bloomberg)
