Direct flights between India and China are set to return this month after being suspended for more than five years.
The first route will reconnect Kolkata and Guangzhou, with IndiGo airlines beginning operations on 26 October. The move is being hailed as an important step in restoring ties between the two nations, which were severely strained after a deadly border clash in 2020.
Since then, both governments have been working to ease tensions and rebuild relations. Officials from both sides have met for multiple rounds of talks, and recent agreements have included measures to de-escalate along the Himalayan border and to reopen opportunities for religious pilgrimages and trade.
High-level visits and diplomatic exchanges have also signaled a renewed commitment to cooperation. In recent months, leaders from both countries emphasized the importance of seeing each other as partners rather than rivals, pledging to gradually normalize exchanges across trade, travel, and culture.
The resumption of direct flights is expected to boost people-to-people connections, expand tourism, and strengthen bilateral ties, marking a cautious but hopeful turn in India-China relations.