India, China resume direct flights after 5-year suspension amid improving ties

India and China have resumed direct commercial flights for the first time in five years, marking a significant step toward rebuilding relations between the two Asian giants.

The renewed air links began on Sunday, with India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, operating the inaugural daily flight from Kolkata to Guangzhou. The move is expected to strengthen trade, tourism, and cultural exchanges as both countries cautiously ease tensions following their 2020 border clash in the Himalayas.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the decision would enhance “people-to-people contact” and support the “gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges.”

The resumption comes at a time when New Delhi’s relationship with Washington has become strained, following US President Donald Trump’s recent order imposing 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods. Washington has also criticised India’s continued purchase of Russian oil amid the war in Ukraine.

Additional flights from New Delhi to Shanghai and Guangzhou are scheduled to begin in November, complementing existing services between India and Hong Kong.

Rajeev Singh, head of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata, told AFP that the restoration of direct flights would “reduce logistics and transit time,” providing a major boost for businesses.

Kolkata, India’s eastern port city, has a long history of ties with China dating back to the colonial era, when Chinese traders settled there and established a thriving community.

“It’s great news for people like us who have relatives in China,” said Chen Khoi Kui, a civil society leader from Tangra, Kolkata’s Chinatown district. “Restoring air connectivity will help trade, tourism, and business travel.”