India, China to Resume Direct Flights After 5-Year Pause

India and China will restart direct flights after more than five years, marking a step towards rebuilding political and economic ties between two of the world’s largest economies amid rising trade uncertainty.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the plan during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Tianjin, according to Bloomberg.

This marks Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, signaling a potential thaw in relations between New Delhi and Beijing.

While Modi confirmed that direct air travel will resume, he did not specify a timeline for when flights between India and China would restart.