New Delhi, Oct 2 (UNI) India and China have agreed to resume direct air connectivity by the end of October 2025, bringing to fruition one of the major points of normalisation of ties agreed upon between the two sides.
During the New Delhi visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in August this year, and as part of his talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, the two sides had agreed to resume direct air flights between the two nations.
The agreement inked between the two sides on August 18 had said: “Both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between Chinese mainland and India at the earliest, and finalize an updated Air Services Agreement. They also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions.”
According to a press statement issued today, the civil aviation authorities of the two countries have been engaged in technical-level discussions on resuming direct air services and on a revised Air Services Agreement.
“Following these discussions, it has now been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025, in keeping with the winter season schedule, subject to commercial decision of the designated carriers from the two countries and fulfilment of all operational criteria.
“This agreement of the civil aviation authorities will further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges,” the statement said.
During his August 18-19 visit to New Delhi, Wang Yi had held talks with EAM and with NSA Ajit Doval, with whom he had co-chaired the 24th round of the Special Representatives’ dialogue on the Boundary Question.
Marking a further thaw in ties, PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had held bilateral talks in Tianjin, on the sidelines of the SCO Summit on August 31, during which PM Modi had announced that the two countries are to resume direct flights.
