India and China to Resume Direct Flights After Five-Year Suspension
India and China are set to resume direct flights by late October, ending a five-year suspension caused by the Covid pandemic and prolonged border tensions, signaling thawing relations.
Overview
- India and China will resume direct flights between their cities by late October, ending a five-year suspension that began during the Covid pandemic in 2020.
- The suspension was also attributed to prolonged border tensions between the two nations, making the resumption a significant indicator of thawing relations.
- IndiGo, India's largest carrier, is scheduled to restart direct flights from Kolkata, India, to Guangzhou, China, starting on October 26.
- This decision follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to China, his first in seven years, suggesting a diplomatic push for improved bilateral ties.
- The resumption of air travel between designated cities is pending final decisions from commercial carriers, with operations expected to be fully underway by late October.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the resumption of direct flights between India and China neutrally, focusing on factual reporting and providing essential context. They present the development as a step towards normalizing ties, attributing information clearly and avoiding loaded language. The coverage explains the historical reasons for the flight suspension and current efforts to rebuild relations.
"The resumption of direct flights between India and China marks a significant step towards rebuilding political ties and enhancing economic cooperation between the two nations."
Fortune"The resumption is part of the Indian government’s “approach towards gradual normalization of relations between India and China,” the embassy added."
ABC News"India and China will restart direct flights between the countries this month, India's foreign ministry has said, in another step towards ties being gradually normalised."
BBC NewsArticles (4)
Center (3)
FAQ
Direct flights between India and China will resume by late October 2025, with operations expected to be fully underway by the end of that month.
The suspension of direct flights between India and China began in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and was further prolonged by border tensions between the two nations.
IndiGo, India's largest carrier, is scheduled to restart daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou starting October 26, 2025.
The resumption follows Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China in 2025—the first in seven years—and prior bilateral meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, signaling a diplomatic push for improved bilateral ties.
Resuming direct flights marks a significant step in normalizing bilateral relations, facilitating trade, tourism, and people-to-people connections between the two populous neighboring countries.
History
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