 "Representational image. PTI")
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China are set to resume by late October, aligning with the winter season schedule.
“The resumption of flights will be subject to the commercial decisions of the designated carriers from both countries, as well as the fulfillment of all necessary operational criteria,” the MEA said in a statement.
The ministry added that the resumption would “further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges."
Meanwhile, IndiGo on Thursday announced the resumption of direct services to Mainland China, with daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou (CAN) starting October 26.
Subject to regulatory approvals, the airline also plans to launch direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou in the near future.
IndiGo said it will operate these routes using its Airbus A320neo aircraft, aiming to restore channels for cross-border trade, business partnerships, and tourism.
In a related development, Air India is also planning to resume services to Shanghai, sources said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe decision to resume direct flights comes after months of technical-level discussions between the civil aviation authorities of both countries, as part of a broader approach to gradually normalise bilateral relations that had remained strained in recent years.
The decision also follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where the two leaders discussed ways to stabilise relations.
Flights between India and China were suspended in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, apart from limited repatriation efforts, have remained grounded even after travel restrictions were lifted.
The situation was further compounded by the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, which plunged bilateral relations to their lowest point in decades.
With inputs from agencies