India, China to resume direct flights soon amid push to reset tense ties, airlines told to start preparations

India and China will soon resume direct flights as early as September, marking a major step in an effort to defuse years of tense diplomatic relations, sources close to the situation said. The government has informed domestic carriers to be ready for flights to China on short notice, and an official announcement is expected by the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit set for later this month in China.

Sources indicate that IndiGo, a major Indian carrier, has already been asked to commence preparations for the resumption of services. Direct flights between the two Asian economic powerhouses were suspended following the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing travelers to endure lengthy journeys via transit hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore.

The suspension of flights coincided with a sharp deterioration of bilateral relations, which hit rock bottom after the fatal border clashes broke out in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley in June 2020. The clash claimed the lives of 20 Indian troopers and at least four Chinese soldiers. In retaliation, New Delhi had imposed a series of measures, such as the banning of 59 Chinese mobile applications, a step described by Beijing as "discriminatory" and vowed to oppose in the World Trade Organisation.