Passengers on the first direct flight between India and China in five years touched down in Guangzhou early Monday (Oct 27), marking a cautious but significant step in restoring normalcy between the two Asian giants. IndiGo flight 6E1703 from Kolkata landed at Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport around 4 am local time, officially resuming nonstop air links that had been suspended for five years, since the 2020 Covid pandemic. Here's all you need to know.<h2>India and China reap the 'first fruit' as relations thaw</h2>India's civil aviation ministry called the vital resumption of direct flights between the two neighbours a boost to "people-to-people contact" and the "gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges".Meanwhile, Chinese Deputy Consul General in Kolkata, Qin Yong, hailed the moment as a "very important day" for India-China relations. Speaking at a ceremony at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Qin said the flight’s resumption was "the first fruit" of recent meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-threatens-to-cut-ties-with-uk-if-starmer-refuses-to-back-beijing-s-taiwan-claim-1761472968002">China threatens to cut ties with UK if Starmer refuses to back Beijing’s Taiwan claim</a>" After five years of suspension, it is a very big improvement for the bilateral relations. We expected this for a long time, and it is very important for our bilateral relations." Airport Director Dr PR Beuria, who attended the event with officials from IndiGo and the Airports Authority of India, described the launch as a "great moment" that would strengthen Kolkata's role as an international hub in eastern India.<h2>Why is it important?</h2>The daily flight service resumption is expected to strengthen trade and tourism between the neighbours, who remain regional rivals despite recent diplomatic engagement. The thaw in tensions between India and China and the resumption of flights, as per Beuria, would boost business, tourism, and connectivity between the two nations.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/trump-s-mystery-130-million-donor-unmasked-as-reclusive-heir-timothy-mellon-meet-the-man-behind-the-money-1761446523123">Trump’s mystery $130 million donor unmasked: Meet the man behind the money, reclusive heir Timothy Mellon</a>The Airbus A320 carried 176 passengers to Guangzhou, many of them business travellers eager to reestablish links disrupted by the pandemic. IndiGo will operate daily flights on the Kolkata–Guangzhou route, while additional services connecting Delhi with Shanghai and Delhi with Guangzhou will start next month, on November 9th and November 10th, respectively.The resumption of air connectivity, officials say, is a "first step" toward rebuilding trust and facilitating cross-border trade and tourism.<h2>Why were India-China flights suspended?</h2>Direct flights between India and China were halted in 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions took effect, followed by a deep freeze in relations after the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash that killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.While tensions persist along the 3,500-km border, both sides have recently signalled interest in easing frictions. This month, troops from both armies exchanged sweets on Diwali — a small but symbolic “gesture of goodwill”.&nbsp;

India and China resumed direct flights after five years, marking a cautious thaw in ties. IndiGo’s Kolkata–Guangzhou flight landed early Monday, hailed by both sides as the “first fruit” of renewed engagement. The move is expected to boost trade, tourism, and people-to-people contact.

Passengers on the first direct flight between India and China in five years touched down in Guangzhou early Monday (Oct 27), marking a cautious but significant step in restoring normalcy between the two Asian giants. IndiGo flight 6E1703 from Kolkata landed at Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport around 4 am local time, officially resuming nonstop air links that had been suspended for five years, since the 2020 Covid pandemic. Here's all you need to know. India and China reap the 'first fruit' as relations thaw India's civil aviation ministry called the vital resumption of direct flights between the two neighbours a boost to "people-to-people contact" and the "gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges". Meanwhile, Chinese Deputy Consul General in Kolkata, Qin Yong, hailed the moment as a "very important day" for India-China relations. Speaking at a ceremony at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, Qin said the flight’s resumption was "the first fruit" of recent meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping. Also read | China threatens to cut ties with UK if Starmer refuses to back Beijing’s Taiwan claim " After five years of suspension, it is a very big improvement for the bilateral relations. We expected this for a long time, and it is very important for our bilateral relations." Airport Director Dr PR Beuria, who attended the event with officials from IndiGo and the Airports Authority of India, described the launch as a "great moment" that would strengthen Kolkata's role as an international hub in eastern India. Why is it important? The daily flight service resumption is expected to strengthen trade and tourism between the neighbours, who remain regional rivals despite recent diplomatic engagement. The thaw in tensions between India and China and the resumption of flights, as per Beuria, would boost business, tourism, and connectivity between the two nations. Also read | Trump’s mystery $130 million donor unmasked: Meet the man behind the money, reclusive heir Timothy Mellon The Airbus A320 carried 176 passengers to Guangzhou, many of them business travellers eager to reestablish links disrupted by the pandemic. IndiGo will operate daily flights on the Kolkata–Guangzhou route, while additional services connecting Delhi with Shanghai and Delhi with Guangzhou will start next month, on November 9th and November 10th, respectively. The resumption of air connectivity, officials say, is a "first step" toward rebuilding trust and facilitating cross-border trade and tourism. Why were India-China flights suspended? Direct flights between India and China were halted in 2020 as COVID-19 restrictions took effect, followed by a deep freeze in relations after the deadly 2020 Galwan Valley clash that killed at least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers. While tensions persist along the 3,500-km border, both sides have recently signalled interest in easing frictions. This month, troops from both armies exchanged sweets on Diwali — a small but symbolic “gesture of goodwill”.

India and China resumed direct flights after five years, marking a cautious thaw in ties. IndiGo’s Kolkata–Guangzhou flight landed early Monday, hailed by both sides as the “first fruit” of renewed engagement. The move is expected to boost trade, tourism, and people-to-people contact.

‘First fruit’ of Modi-Xi diplomacy: India-China direct flights resume after five years of suspension. All you need to know

India and China have reached an agreement to restart the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-talks-kailash-mansarovar-yatra-to-start-from-summer-of-2025-8659012">Kailash Mansarovar Yatra</a>, which has been suspended since 2020, as per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday (Jan 27). This decision came after discussions between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Foreign Secretary Misri was on a two-day visit to Beijing from January 26 to 27, 2025, to review bilateral relations.
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"In this context, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements," the MEA statement said.
&ldquo;The relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers,&rdquo; a statement by MEA said.
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The two nations also expressed their willingness to restart direct flights and to encourage closer people-to-people interactions, particularly among media professionals and think tanks.
&ldquo;The two sides took stock of the extant mechanisms for functional exchanges. It was agreed to resume these dialogues step by step and to utilise them to address each other&rsquo;s priority areas of interest and concern,&rdquo; the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/freedom-of-speech-cannot-be-selective-india-on-violent-protests-against-emergency-film-screening-in-uk-8651514">MEA</a> added.
<h2>75 years of India-China diplomacy</h2>
The MEA statement added that the two sides will complete 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025.&nbsp;
This milestone should be used to strengthen public diplomacy, improve understanding, and rebuild trust between the two nations. Both sides will organise various events to celebrate the anniversary, the MEA added.
(With inputs from agencies)

India News: India and China have reached an agreement to restart the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has been suspended since 2020, as per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday (Jan 27). 

India and China have reached an agreement to restart the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has been suspended since 2020, as per a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday (Jan 27). This decision came after discussions between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Foreign Secretary Misri was on a two-day visit to Beijing from January 26 to 27, 2025, to review bilateral relations. Also read: 14-year-old Noida boy makes asteroid discovery, NASA allows him to name it "In this context, the two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements," the MEA statement said. “The relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers,” a statement by MEA said. Also read: PM Modi and Donald Trump discuss strengthening India-US partnership over call The two nations also expressed their willingness to restart direct flights and to encourage closer people-to-people interactions, particularly among media professionals and think tanks. “The two sides took stock of the extant mechanisms for functional exchanges. It was agreed to resume these dialogues step by step and to utilise them to address each other’s priority areas of interest and concern,” the MEA added. 75 years of India-China diplomacy The MEA statement added that the two sides will complete 75 years of establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025. This milestone should be used to strengthen public diplomacy, improve understanding, and rebuild trust between the two nations. Both sides will organise various events to celebrate the anniversary, the MEA added. (With inputs from agencies)

India-China talks: Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, direct flights to resume in 2025 - Know when

China is urging India to take flight again. After a four-year hiatus caused by a deadly border clash, China is pushing for the resumption of direct passenger flights between the two Asian powerhouses.

China seeks to resume India flights amid travel recovery challenges