India And China May Resume Direct Flights In September, Full Details Inside
PM Modi's visit to China could mark a turning point in bilateral ties after years of tension.
India and China are preparing to bring back direct flights as early as September.
The announcement is expected around the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits China at the end of August for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.
Sources say the Indian government has asked airlines to be ready for quick deployment. IndiGo has already started preparations, while an official declaration could come during the summit.
Why Did Flights Stop?
Direct air services between the two countries came to a halt in early 2020 following the outbreak of Covid-19. Travellers have since been forced to connect via hubs like Hong Kong, Bangkok, or Singapore.
As per Hindustan Times, ties soured further after the June 2020 Galwan Valley clashes in eastern Ladakh, which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops. In response, India banned several Chinese apps, which Beijing called 'discriminatory."
. Before the suspension, carriers like Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern ran over a dozen weekly direct flights connecting major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming with New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.
The two sides had already agreed in principle to restart flights in January, along with plans to revive the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and boost exchanges between media and think tanks.
PM Modi is set to visit China for the first time in seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1.
China has welcomed the visit, calling it an opportunity for greater 'solidarity, coordination, and productiveness". A bilateral meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping is also possible during the trip.
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