Big jump in India-China relations, direct flight between Shanghai and New Delhi after five years, know details

Beijing: China's state-owned company China Eastern Airlines will resume Shanghai-Delhi flights from November 9. China Eastern Airlines has announced this on its website. This flight is being resumed after a five-year suspension. In recent times, diplomatic relations between India and China have softened due to America's aggressive trade policies. Direct air travel between India and China is being said to be a result of this. It was informed on China Eastern Airlines' online ticket sales platform on Saturday that these flights will operate thrice a week on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Flight started after five years

The Indian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month that commercial flights between the two neighboring countries would resume after a five-year suspension. The announcement followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first visit to China in more than seven years for a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional security grouping. The two sides discussed ways to improve trade ties.

IndiGo is already operating flights

India's largest airline, IndiGo, previously announced it would launch daily nonstop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou. State-owned Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport said at the time of IndiGo's announcement that it would encourage airlines to open more direct routes between Guangzhou and Delhi.

China stopped flights in 2020

Direct flights between the two countries were suspended in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. That same year saw the Galwan Valley clash between India and China, leading to a military standoff. Therefore, India-China flights were not resumed.

Trump Policies Unite Rivals

This thaw in diplomatic relations between India and China comes amid US President Donald Trump's increasingly aggressive trade policies. In September, the US president raised tariffs on Indian imports to 50 percent, citing what he called continued purchases of Russian oil. He also urged the European Union to impose 100 percent tariffs on China and India, which he said was part of efforts to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.