Photo: Indranil Aditya/NurPhoto/AFP
Eurasia
14/08/2025 14:44
India and China are expected to resume direct passenger flights as early as September, with an official announcement likely during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China at the end of August, according to media reports. The move signals an effort by both governments to recalibrate their strained political relationship.
The development comes as the two Asian giants are both engaged in a trade dispute with the United States over tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Reports suggest Indian airlines have been told to be ready to operate services to China at short notice, with the timing of the announcement likely to coincide with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit later this month, where Modi is expected to meet senior Chinese leaders.
Direct flights between India and China have been suspended since early 2020 following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing travellers to rely on connecting flights through hubs such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
Last month, New Delhi reinstated tourist visa services for Chinese nationals — a significant step towards normalising ties that had sharply deteriorated after the 2020 military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
