China and India will resume direct air service between the countries, which was suspended in 2020.
This was reported by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs following the visit of Minister Shri Vikram Misri to Beijing.
In 2020, India and China clashed on Indiaʼs northern border over the construction of a road near the border. At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers were killed in the Ladakh region. The countries have been unable to agree on a border demarcation for more than 60 years, since their brief border war in 1962 ended with China seizing part of Indiaʼs territory it claims.
After that, relations between China and India deteriorated, and flights between the countries were canceled. However, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held their first official talks in five years. It was the biggest thaw in relations between the two countries in four years.
On January 26-27, 2025, the Indian minister flew to China, where the countries agreed to stabilize relations. The parties will discuss how to resume flights as soon as possible.
In addition, the countries agreed to resume the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet. This is not only an important religious event, but also an important aspect of diplomatic relations between the countries, as the Yatra has undergone significant changes after its deterioration in 2020. China closed its borders to pilgrims from India, which made the Yatra impossible. The traditional routes through Lipulek and Nathu La were no longer used by pilgrims.
Diplomats noted that 2025 could be a year of rebuilding trust between India and China, as they continue to discuss contentious issues and try to reach compromises.
- In 1962, the Sino-Indian high-altitude border war began. The reason was the unresolved issue of the border line between the former British India and Tibet. Two areas were considered controversial. One of them is located in the northeastern part of Kashmir, and the other is in the northern part of the modern state of Arunachal Pradesh.
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