India and China will soon resume direct flights as early as September, marking a major step in an effort to defuse years of tense diplomatic relations, sources close to the situation said. The government has informed domestic carriers to be ready for flights to China on short notice, and an official announcement is expected by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit set for later this month in China.
Sources indicate that IndiGo, a major Indian carrier, has already been asked to commence preparations for the resumption of services. Direct flights between the two Asian economic powerhouses were suspended following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing travelers to endure lengthy journeys via transit hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore.
The suspension of flights coincided with a sharp deterioration of bilateral relations, which hit rock bottom after the fatal border clashes broke out in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in June 2020. The clash claimed the lives of 20 Indian troopers and at least four Chinese soldiers. In retaliation, New Delhi had imposed a series of measures, such as the banning of 59 Chinese mobile applications, a step described by Beijing as “discriminatory” and vowed to oppose in the World Trade Organisation.
Though, a move towards normalisation had been seen last month when India said it was restoring tourist visas for Chinese citizens. That was a conscious attempt to repair bilateral relations, which were at an all-time low since the military confrontation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Before the suspension, over a dozen of these direct flights ran on a weekly basis, connecting large Indian cities such as New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata with Chinese destinations like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming. These direct flights were operated by both Indian and Chinese airlines such as Air India and IndiGo, and Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern, respectively.
The key agreement to restore direct flights was initially made in January this year. In a meeting between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the two countries also agreed to promote people-to-people exchanges, especially between the media and the think tanks. The talks also covered the restoration of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage that was suspended since 2020.
India-China Relations Aiming To Comeback Amid Deeper Geopolitical Realignments?
The fresh push to revive direct flights and enhance bilateral ties comes on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit in seven years to China to take part in the SCO Summit on August 31 and September 1. China has officially extended a warm invitation to the expected visit, with Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun saying, “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 has also said PM Modi’s visit would potentially open the door for a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This warming up of India-China ties comes against the background of rising trade tensions between the United States and India. US President Donald Trump recently doubled the duties on Indian imports from 25 percent to 50 percent, blaming New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil. In a remarkable display of solidarity for India, Chinese Ambassador Xu Feihong publicly rebuked Trump as a “bully,” warning India against caving in to US trade pressure with the maxim, “give the bully an inch, he will take a mile.”
China itself has been involved in its own retaliatory tariff war with the US under President Trump. But in a recent twist, President Trump on Monday announced a 90-day delay on scheduled tariff increases on Chinese products.
