(Singapore, 28 Jan 2025) India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement confirming that India and China have agreed in principle to resume direct flights between the two countries, which had been suspended for nearly five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent political tensions.
The announcement came after India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, concluded a visit to Beijing, signaling a thaw in the strained relationship between the two populous nations. Misri’s visit was one of the highest-level official exchanges since the deadly border clash in 2020. That conflict, which occurred along the Himalayan border, resulted in the deaths of soldiers from both sides, severely deteriorating bilateral relations.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that both countries’ technical authorities would meet soon to discuss and finalize the framework for resuming direct flight services. The statement also mentioned that China had agreed to allow the resumption of pilgrimages to a famous Hindu shrine in India, which had been suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic and political tensions.
Both sides expressed a commitment to intensify diplomatic efforts to rebuild mutual trust and confidence and address long-standing trade and economic issues. According to Indian media reports, prior to the pandemic, there were about 500 direct flights between India and China each month.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also issued a statement acknowledging the agreement to resume direct flights and supporting the relevant authorities in coordinating the necessary arrangements. It emphasized that the improvement in Sino-Indian relations is in the fundamental interest of both countries and their people.
The suspension of direct flights occurred at the start of the pandemic in early 2020. As the public health crisis eased, flights resumed between India and Hong Kong, but direct flights to mainland China remained suspended, largely due to the impact of the 2020 border conflict. The clash resulted in at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers being killed, leading India to impose restrictions on Chinese companies in critical economic sectors, and to ban hundreds of Chinese apps, including TikTok.
In October of last year, India and China reached an agreement to disengage forces at key flashpoint areas along the disputed border. This agreement followed a rare meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the first of its kind in five years.
In the weeks before Misri’s visit to Beijing, India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, also made a diplomatic visit to China, further signaling a potential shift in the bilateral relationship.
