India, China to resume direct flights in sign of closer ties

Airlines in India have been asked by the government to prepare flights to China at short notice, with a possible official announcement at the end of August

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India and China are set to resume direct flight connections as soon as next month, people familiar with the negotiations said, as the world's two most populous countries seek to reset their political ties.

Airlines in India have been asked by the government to prepare flights to China at short notice, with a possible official announcement as soon as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at the end of August in China, said the people, asking not to be identified because the negotiations are ongoing.

Passenger flights between India and China were suspended after the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing travelers from the two neighboring countries to pass through hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore. The renewed push to rebuild a direct link comes at a time when India's relations with the US have come under considerable strain, after US President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to 50% as a penalty for its purchases of Russian oil.

On Monday, Air India announced it would suspend its direct link to Washington, DC, next month, citing “operational factors" as the reason. The carrier still flies to New York and San Francisco.