India and China agree to restart direct flights
Modi confirms China visit for Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit this month
DUBAI – India and China have agreed to resume direct flights and expand trade links after years of suspension, while also advancing their long-standing border negotiations.
The announcement followed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
Direct flights between the two Asian giants, halted since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, will be restored, though no timeline was provided for their resumption.
Both sides also confirmed the reopening of border trade at three designated points and measures to ease visa processes. Trade and investment flows are set to be enhanced in parallel with these initiatives.
India-China border issues
The discussions in New Delhi covered troop withdrawals along their disputed Himalayan frontier, as well as broader boundary and delimitation matters. The Indian foreign ministry confirmed that a working group will be established to coordinate and consult on border affairs.
Welcomed Politburo member and Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Delhi this evening.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 18, 2025
Highlighted that our relations are best guided by the three mutuals - mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest. As we seek to move ahead from a difficult period in our ties, it needs a… pic.twitter.com/xRMYm4Nqpv
A Chinese foreign ministry statement said the mechanism will extend talks to the eastern and middle border sectors, while another round of negotiations on the western section will be scheduled soon.
Next meeting in Beijing
Both countries agreed to reconvene in China in 2026 for further talks.
Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other's interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO… pic.twitter.com/FyQI6GqYKC
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2025
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who met Wang Yi during the visit, posted on X that “stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity.”
Modi is also set to travel to China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, marking his first visit to the country in more than seven years.