China, India agree to resume direct flights after five years

China and India have reached an agreement to resume direct commercial flights, ending a five-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent political tensions. The decision was made during a meeting between India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

Flights between India and mainland China were suspended in early 2020 due to the pandemic, and political disagreements further prolonged the suspension. However, the resumption of flights comes amid ongoing efforts to ease tensions between the two countries, following a deadly border clash in 2020.

Additionally, China has agreed to reopen Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet to Indian pilgrims, popular Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon pilgrimage sites.

The resumption of direct flights is expected to ease travel between the countries, which currently requires passengers to transit through other destinations like Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok, resulting in longer journey times.

The news has been met with excitement on Chinese social media, with many expressing their anticipation to visit India for tourism and cultural experiences, including the Holi festival in March.

Despite the positive developments, some remain cautious about the full implementation of the agreement, as it is still in the “agreement in principle” phase.