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India and China have reached an agreement to restart direct flights and enhance trade and investment activities as they work to repair their relationship after the 2020 border conflict. The neighboring nations are cautiously strengthening their ties, especially amid the unpredictable foreign policy moves of U.S. President Donald Trump, with several high-level bilateral visits taking place.
The Indian foreign ministry announced that the two countries plan to resume direct flights, reopen border trade at three designated points, and facilitate visa processes—though no specific date was provided for when flights will restart, which have been suspended since the pandemic began in 2020.
These developments follow Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, aimed at resolving their long-standing border dispute. The discussions focused on troop withdrawals along the Himalayan border, border delimitation, and boundary management.
Both nations agreed to establish a working group to collaborate on border issues to advance demarcation negotiations, covering the eastern and central parts of the border, with plans for another round of discussions on the western section soon. Additionally, Beijing committed that both countries would meet again in China in 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that “Stable, predictable, constructive relations between India and China will significantly contribute to regional and global peace and prosperity.” Modi is scheduled to visit China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, marking his first trip to the country in over seven years.
During his visit, Wang Yi emphasized that “the stable and healthy development of China-India relations is in the fundamental interests of both nations’ peoples.” He called for increased mutual trust through dialogue and expanded cooperation, especially in border management and delimitation.
India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar highlighted concerns regarding China’s massive dam project on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, which becomes the Brahmaputra River upon entering India and Bangladesh. India stressed the importance of transparency and the potential impact on downstream countries, with China agreeing to share hydrological data on relevant rivers under humanitarian principles. An expert mechanism will be established to maintain communication and coordinate flood reporting.
China has previously asserted that its hydropower projects in Tibet pose minimal environmental or downstream risks, but India and Bangladesh remain cautious. Wang Yi also assured Jaishankar that China is addressing India’s key concerns, including access to fertilizers, rare earth elements, and tunnel boring machines. Requests for comment from Indian and Chinese ministries have yet to be responded to.
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