India and China resume air connection: first flights after a five-year break.

According to FREEДOM:

Resumption of air connection between India and China

India and China are resuming direct flights after five years of interruption in transportation between the countries. This was reported by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as informed by FREEДОМ referencing Bloomberg.

The leaders met during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin. This is the first visit of the Indian prime minister to China in the last seven years.

'The largest Indian airline IndiGo has already expressed its readiness to resume flights between the two countries after receiving permission to operate. It is expected that another major local airline, Air India, will also resume flights on these routes,' writes Bloomberg.

As the publication notes, direct passenger flights between India and China were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Air connections were not restored even after the deterioration of diplomatic relations in 2020 due to border incidents. Currently, travelers from these countries have to use transit routes through Hong Kong and Singapore.

When exactly India and China will be able to resume direct air travel, Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not specify.

SCO Summit

Earlier, it was reported that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit began on August 31 in China. This meeting became the largest since the establishment of the bloc.

The resumption of air connections between India and China signifies a gradual improvement in the bilateral relations that have been seriously damaged by recent events. This step may open new opportunities for business and tourism, as well as contribute to overall rapprochement between the countries, which hold significant economic importance in the region.