Tariff-Hit India and China to Resume Direct Flights After Five Years

India and China have agreed to restart direct flights after more than five years, signaling a cautious step toward rebuilding people-to-people ties that collapsed during the pandemic and subsequent border tensions.

The announcement came during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin on Sunday.

“The two leaders noted the need to strengthen people-to-people ties through direct flights and visa facilitation, building on the resumption of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and tourist visa,” India’s ministry of external affairs said in a statement. The two countries have not mentioned a timeline for the resumption of flights.

“Our Special Representatives have reached an understanding on border management. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra has resumed, and direct flights between the two countries are also being started,” Modi said in a statement.

From Ove