• India and China agreed to resume direct flights and enhance business ties.
• The nations aim to address long-standing border issues through high-level talks.
• India expressed concerns over a dam project impacting water resources.
• Both countries emphasized the importance of mutual trust and cooperation.

India and China have reached an agreement to resume direct flights and bolster trade and investment as they work on repairing relations strained by a border clash in 2020, according to Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Dawn.

The agreement followed a two-day visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to New Delhi, where he engaged in the 24th round of border talks with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The discussions included troop deployments and border management, although a significant breakthrough was not achieved during these talks, as noted in reports from Channel News Asia, Reuters, and Dawn.

As part of the new agreement, the two countries plan to reopen border trade at three designated points and ease visa restrictions. Although the specifics of when flights would resume were not disclosed, this reestablishment of air travel marks a significant step towards normalizing relations that have been affected since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.

During the discussions, India emphasized its concerns regarding a mega dam China is constructing on the Yarlung Zangbo river, which becomes the Brahmaputra in India and Bangladesh. The project raises alarms over potential risks to millions reliant on the river downstream. India's Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar insisted on "utmost transparency" from China related to this project, as reported by Reuters and Dawn.

In response, China has agreed to share emergency hydrological information regarding relevant rivers and to establish a mechanism for engaging expert-level discussions on cross-border river management, addressing concerns voiced by India and Bangladesh. This agreement reflects a mutual understanding to improve cooperation while emphasizing the importance of trust in their diplomatic interactions, according to Channel News Asia and Reuters.