India and China Resume Direct Flights After 5 Years

Direct flights between India and China resumed on Sunday, marking a step for trade and a symbolic sign of improving relations between Asia’s two largest economies.

An IndiGo flight (6E 1703) from Kolkata landed in Guangzhou on Monday, carrying around 180 passengers.

Flights between the two countries had been suspended in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and remained halted following a deadly clash along the disputed Himalayan border that escalated tensions between the two nations.

The resumption of flights is seen as both a practical move to facilitate business and tourism and a symbolic gesture toward cautiously rebuilding bilateral ties. (Agencies)