India and China are said to be planning to resume direct passenger flights as soon as next month, a Bloomberg report quoted sources close to the negotiations.
The move aims to revive air links between the two most populous nations in the world, which have been halted since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Indian carriers have been asked to stand by to fly to China on short notice. A formal announcement can be made at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit later in August in China, the sources further added.
The grounding of direct flights compelled passengers between India and China to take detours via transit airports like Hong Kong or Singapore. The resumption of air links comes at a time when geopolitical dynamics are shifting. Significantly, the ties between India and the US were strained recently after Washington imposed double tariffs on Indian imports, in part as retaliation for India's import of Russian oil.
Relations between India and China sharply declined in 2020 after clashes along the border killed 20 Indian troops and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers. Recently, India eased tourist visa restrictions for Chinese citizens. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be attending the SCO summit in Tianjin from August 31, when there may be a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Indian aviation authorities and leading operators like Air India and IndiGo have been informed of the developments but so far have not made public comments. Sources warned that the resumption timeline is far from certain and negotiations may still face setbacks.
Prior to the suspension, Indian airlines including Air India and IndiGo had operated flights to China in addition to Chinese carriers including Air China and China Southern. The plan now foresees Indian airlines resuming these services in the near future.
Early attempts at resuming direct flights in January and June were brought to a halt by diplomatic tensions. New momentum has only come in the last two weeks, and now airlines are receiving minute-by-minute briefings on the plans.
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