India and China have agreed to resume direct flights after nearly five years of deadly military clashes between the two neighbours on the disputed Himalayan border.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Monday that the two countries agreed to resume direct air services during a meeting between Chinese Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during his visit to Beijing.
The announcement is seen as the latest sign of melting the ice in India’s frosty relations with the neighbouring country.
The Indian ministry said the two sides would soon discuss the flight details.
Tensions between the two countries escalated after a deadly clash between India and China on the border in the Himalayas in 2020. The conflict made it difficult for Chinese companies to invest in India. The Indian government banned more than 100 popular Chinese apps in the country and announced the suspension of direct passenger flights. But the direct movement of cargo flights has not been stopped.
Relations between the two countries have improved over the past four months with a number of high-level meetings, including talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Russia in October.
On Monday, the Chinese foreign minister told the Indian foreign secretary that the two countries should work in coordination with each other and remain committed to mutual understanding.
“The meeting discussed specific economic and trade concerns aimed at long-term policy clarity,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. ”
This was the last meeting between the two Asian powers after a landmark agreement was signed in October to de-escalate the India-China border standoff.