India and China have reached an agreement to restart air travel following a hiatus of almost five years

India and China have reached an agreement to restart direct air services after a hiatus of nearly five years, as announced by India‘s foreign ministry on Monday. This development indicates a potential easing of tensions between the two nations following a deadly military confrontation in 2020 over their contested Himalayan border.

The two countries will engage in discussions to establish a framework for the flights in a meeting scheduled to take place soon, as reported after a conversation between India’s foreign minister and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Relations between India and China deteriorated after the 2020 incident, leading India to impose restrictions on Chinese investments, ban numerous popular applications, and suspend passenger flights, although cargo flights continued to operate. However, in recent months, there has been a noticeable improvement in relations, highlighted by several high-level discussions, including a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia in October.

During a meeting in Beijing on Monday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized to Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri the importance of both nations working collaboratively, exploring more substantial initiatives, and fostering mutual understanding. The Indian foreign ministry noted that specific economic and trade concerns were addressed, aiming to resolve these issues and enhance long-term policy transparency and predictability.

The recent meeting between the two Asian nations marks the latest development following a significant agreement reached in October aimed at reducing tensions along their shared border. In June, Reuters reported that the Chinese government and its airlines had requested India’s civil aviation authorities to restore direct air travel; however, New Delhi hesitated due to ongoing border disputes affecting their relationship. In October, two sources from the Indian government informed Reuters that India was open to the possibility of reopening airspace and expediting visa approvals.

Additionally, both countries have agreed to gradually resume discussions for functional exchanges, starting with an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism, as stated by India’s foreign ministry. During the meeting, Wang emphasized the need for China and India to focus on “mutual support and mutual achievement” instead of fostering “suspicion” and “alienation,” according to a statement from the Chinese foreign ministry.