India and China governments are set to reopen airplane transportation between each other after a five year airline hiatus between them.
The two nations, due to a severed relationship over border issues alongside effects of the 2019 COVID 19, stopped air transport from both countries. However, after a holding peacemaking dialogue, they stated that flight operations would resume between them.
Indigo, India’s largest commercial operator, informed that direct daily flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou would begin from October 26 and later expand operations to New Delhi.
“It has has now been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October”, an Indian government statement released said.
“This agreement of the civil aviation authorities will further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges,” it said.
The Asian countries relayed that airline opened bookings will commence on Friday and further stated that the move will create avenues for cross-border trade and strategic business partnerships and promote tourism between them.
Relations between China and India plummeted in 2020 after their soldiers clashed along a disputed border in the Himalayan mountains.
Four Chinese soldiers and 20 Indian troops were killed in the worst violence between the two countries in decades.
In June, Beijing granted permission to Indian pilgrims wishing to trek to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a holy site for Hindus and Buddhists, for the first time since the 2020 clash.
