India, China hold 1st round of talks on air travel revival

NEW DELHI: India and China have held preliminary discussions on restarting direct passenger flights, a senior official confirmed on Monday, though no timeline has been decided.

“The civil aviation ministry and our counterpart in China have had one round of meetings,” said Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam at a conference hosted by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in New Delhi. He noted that some concerns remained but did not provide specifics.

The talks come amid improving ties between the two nations, nearly five years after a deadly border confrontation in the Himalayas that resulted in casualties on both sides.

In January, both countries agreed to address trade and economic concerns, a move expected to benefit their aviation industries.

Following the 2020 clash, India restricted Chinese investments, banned several apps, and suspended passenger routes, though cargo services were maintained.

Tensions began to ease after an October agreement to reduce military presence at the disputed frontier, followed by high-level talks in Russia.