• India and China will resume direct flights after a five-year suspension.
• Direct flights will restart from October 26, primarily between Kolkata and Guangzhou.
• The resumption highlights a gradual normalization of diplomatic relations.
• Both countries seek to improve trade ties amid geopolitical tensions.
• The decision follows a recent meeting between Modi and Xi Jinping.

India and China have announced plans to resume direct flights between designated cities after a five-year hiatus, which started post-2020 following the Galwan clashes between the two nations. The first flights are scheduled to operate from Kolkata to Guangzhou beginning October 26, 2025, according to India's Ministry of External Affairs. This development suggests a cautious improvement in relations between the countries, which have experienced significant tensions due to ongoing border disputes and geopolitical factors, as reported by Channel News Asia and BBC.

The cessation of direct flights had been in effect since early 2020, driven by both the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent military standoff at the disputed border. Over the past year, both nations have engaged in dialogue to ease tensions, exemplified by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China last month, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping declared intentions to approach each other as 'development partners' rather than rivals, as noted by NPR and South China Morning Post.

As part of rekindling ties, India’s budget airline IndiGo is planning to launch routes connecting New Delhi to Guangzhou, in addition to the Kolkata service. This resumption will not only facilitate travel but is also expected to enhance people-to-people exchanges and stimulate economic interactions between the nations. Officials have indicated that the revival of these flights aligns with India's strategic efforts towards normalizing bilateral relations, according to TRT Global and Al Jazeera.

Efforts toward normalizing relations have been buoyed by the recognition that both countries share strategic interests amidst external pressures, notably from U.S. trade policies which have affected their economic landscapes. The cautious restart of flights is symbolic of a broader aspiration to mend relations, which had become strained due to past conflicts and tariff battles, highlighted by the ongoing geopolitical shifts, as expressed by Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.