SRINAGAR: India and China will resume direct passenger flight services later this month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday, marking a significant step towards normalising bilateral ties disrupted since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the decision had been taken following discussions between the two governments and would restore air connectivity suspended in early 2020. “Direct flights between India and China will commence later this month,” Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi, without specifying the exact dates or airlines involved.
Direct services between the two countries were halted after the pandemic and remained suspended due to strained diplomatic relations, particularly following border tensions in eastern Ladakh in 2020. The lack of connectivity forced travellers to rely on transit routes through third countries, leading to longer journeys and higher costs.
Officials said the resumption of flights would benefit students, business travellers, and families, many of whom had faced difficulties travelling between the two countries over the past four years. The move comes at a time when both nations have held several rounds of talks to ease border tensions, although a full resolution remains pending.
Aviation sector experts noted that resuming direct flights could help revive trade, tourism, and educational exchanges. However, they cautioned that the scale and frequency of services would depend on demand and regulatory approvals.
The announcement is seen as part of broader efforts to stabilise India-China relations, even as political and military issues continue to weigh on bilateral engagement.
