Select Language:
India and China are resuming direct flights between specific cities this month after a suspension of over five years. The move indicates a cautious step toward easing bilateral tensions, according to India’s foreign ministry. Since 2020, there have been no direct flights connecting the two countries, despite China being India’s largest bilateral trading partner.
India’s leading airline, IndiGo, announced it will start daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou on October 26. Additionally, there are plans to introduce a route linking New Delhi with Guangzhou. This comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to China — his first in seven years — to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting.
During the meeting, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that India and China are development partners rather than competitors. They explored ways to strengthen trade relations amid global uncertainties and tariffs. Modi also expressed India’s dedication to improving bilateral ties, highlighting concerns over the significant trade deficit with China, which nears $99.2 billion.
Both leaders affirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability along their disputed border, where a clash in 2020 led to a prolonged military stand-off. This renewed communication suggests a potential thaw in relations, with economic and diplomatic exchanges gradually resuming.
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini AI
Grok AI
