India-China direct flights to resume in May
What's the story
India and China are in discussions to restart direct flights in the coming weeks.
The move comes ahead of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage season, which peaks during May, June, and October due to favorable weather.
"The two governments are looking to restart direct flights from Delhi and Lucknow and Kolkata to Lhasa from May 2025," a government official told Moneycontrol.
The talks are part of a larger effort to bolster ties after a four-year border standoff in Eastern Ladakh.
Airline negotiations
Airlines from both countries to be involved
The two governments are now finalizing a bilateral agreement for flight operations.
Negotiations are underway with IndiGo, Air India, and Tibet Airlines for flights from India to Lhasa Gonggar Airport.
The final approvals for these routes are expected by the end of March.
Once the bilateral agreement is ratified, airlines from both nations will be invited to increase flights and plan their operations accordingly.
Expansion plans
Resumption of flights to other Chinese cities planned
The two nations are also looking at resuming flights from India to Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Kunming later this year.
These talks follow a meeting between India's foreign secretary Vikram Misri and China's foreign minister Wang Yi in January 2025.
Before COVID-19 disruptions in January 2020, more than 500 direct flights were operating monthly between India and China.