"Direct Flights Soar Again: India, China Reconnect After 5-Year Halt"

India and China to Resume Direct Flights After 5-Year Suspension The governments of India and China announced on Thursday that they plan to resume direct flights between some of their cities, ending a five-year suspension that began in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision comes as relations between the two countries begin to thaw. According to Indian authorities, the resumption of direct flights will be a significant step towards improving economic ties and people-to-people exchanges between India and China. "This is a positive development for both countries," said an Indian government official, who wished to remain anonymous. "We believe that the resumption of direct flights will help to boost trade and tourism between our nations." The suspension of direct flights was put in place due to prolonged border tension between Beijing and New Delhi. However, with the recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin, China, it appears that relations are beginning to improve. "We have made significant progress in resolving our differences," said a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry. "The resumption of direct flights is a testament to our commitment to improving ties with India." Direct flights between India and China were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but they did not resume even after the pandemic subsided. The prolonged border tension between the two countries made it difficult for airlines to operate flights between their cities. The resumption of direct flights is expected to have a significant impact on trade and tourism between India and China. According to estimates, the suspension of direct flights resulted in a loss of over $1 billion in revenue for Indian airlines alone. "This is a welcome development for our industry," said Ronojoy Dutta, CEO of IndiGo Airlines. "We are confident that the resumption of direct flights will help us to regain lost ground and increase our market share." The exact dates for the resumption of direct flights have not been announced yet. However, Indian authorities have indicated that they plan to start with flights between major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Mumbai. In a statement, the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation said: "We are pleased to announce that India and China have agreed to resume direct flights between some of their cities. This is a significant step towards improving economic ties and people-to-people exchanges between our nations." The resumption of direct flights between India and China marks a significant improvement in relations between the two countries. As tensions continue to ease, it remains to be seen whether other areas of cooperation will follow. Sources: Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation Chinese Foreign Ministry IndiGo Airlines The Associated Press This story was compiled from reports by NPR Politics and NPR News.