New Delhi /Beijing, June 14: India and China have agreed to expedite the resumption of direct air services and enhance diplomatic communication, the two countries’ foreign ministries said on Friday, as the Asian giants continue efforts to repair ties strained by a long-running border dispute.
The announcements followed a meeting on Thursday between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and visiting Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in New Delhi, the latest in a series of high-level talks aimed at improving bilateral relations.
“The two sides agreed to continue to stabilise and rebuild ties,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. China’s Foreign Ministry, in a separate readout, said Sun had stressed the need to “properly handle disputes and differences, and jointly play a constructive role in maintaining international and regional peace and stability.”
The discussions also focused on strengthening people-to-people connections and reviving commercial aviation links, which were suspended following the deterioration of relations in 2020 amid a military standoff along the Himalayan border.
In October 2024, both countries reached an understanding on patrolling arrangements in the disputed border region, leading to a partial thaw in tensions. The agreement marked a significant step in resolving one of the most severe confrontations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours in decades.
Earlier this year, in January, New Delhi and Beijing also committed to resolving long-standing trade and economic issues, a move seen as key to restoring business and transport ties, including aviation.
Direct flights between India and China were halted in 2020 following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent border clashes. Their resumption is expected to boost tourism, student travel, and business links. Ties between the two countries have been under strain since a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in mid-2020, but recent diplomatic efforts indicate a gradual return to normalisation.
