India and China are set to resume direct flights from September after five years, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday quoting people familiar with the negotiations, as the two countries work towards bringing their relations back on track.
The Bloomberg report said the Indian government had asked airlines to prepare flights to China at short notice, with a possible official announcement at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in China at the end of this month that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is widely expected to attend.
Neither government has made any official announcement so far on flight resumption.
Passenger flight services between India and China were suspended in early 2020 because of the pandemic. In June 2020, tensions between the countries escalated after a clash in the Galwan Valley that led to the death of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troopers.
Flights are yet to resume, forcing travellers to take routes through Hong Kong and Singapore.
India and China reached an agreement in October 2024 on patrolling along the Himalayan border, easing their prolonged standoff.
Recently, India allowed tourist visas to Chinese nationals after years of curbs. The renewed push to rebuild a direct link comes at a time when India’s relations with the US have plummeted over President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs as punishment for New Delhi buying Russian oil.
In June, the two Asian heavyweights agreed to expedite the resumption of direct air services in a meeting between foreign secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese vice-foreign minister Sun Weidong. The two sides agreed to take practical steps to ease visa facilitation. Both nations agreed to stabilise and rebuild ties with a priority on people-centric engagements.
Prime Minister Modi is to attend the SCO summit in Tianjin starting August 31, where he may meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.