India and China revealed this week that direct flights will return between some select cities on October 26th, the first time direct travel has been permitted between both countries in five years after India suspended travel due to COVID-19 and unresolved tensions along the border. This action demonstrates India’s approach to normalization with China in a manner that protects Indian interests. Carriers, such as IndiGo, will resume flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou, allowing trade, tourism, and business passengers renewed ability to travel between the neighboring countries.
The announcement comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time since 2015, attending a summit with global leaders from Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in September. Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping highlighted that India and China are development partners and not competitors. Indian officials have reiterated this philosophy of development as trade discussions were focused on meeting the development partnership in spite of on-going geopolitical pressures and uncertainty in the world economy. The conclusion of direct flights has come at a time when the US has also imposed tariffs on Indian imports, which complicates a difficult situation for Indian trade.
With flights going back to busy, we can expect more seamless closure between people, increased commercial cooperation, and a continued signal to India’s serious commitment to more stable regional engagement. By continuing to strike a careful and strategic balance over its dialogue with China, India is balancing economic and security considerations while growing its bilateral relations.
