The announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that the direct flights between India and China will resume later this month has been welcomed by the Chinese state media, which hailed the move as a ‘pragmatic step’.
A piece by the Chinese state-backed ‘Global Times’ praised the decision, which they said was vital for the normalisation of relations between the two countries.
Long Xingchun, a professor from the School of International Relations at Sichuan International Studies University in China, told Global Times that the resumption of direct flights as a vital criterion to test whether China-India relations normalise, as China-India relations have notably warmed up recently.
Long believes that the move serves the interests of the Indian people more. “There have been more Indians studying, doing business, or traveling in China than Chinese in India. Hopefully, on the basis of resuming direct air services, India can step further to simplify the visa process for Chinese citizens," Long added.
The report also quoted Himadrish Suwan, chairman of the Confederation of Young Leaders of India, who views this as an “encouraging sign” that could help deepen the mutual understanding between the countries.
“It will not only strengthen people-to-people exchanges, but also open new avenues for cooperation in trade, education, tourism, and youth-led engagement,” Suwan told the Chinese media, adding that this will also help contribute to regional stability and shared peace.
Kolkata to Guangzhou flight
Shortly after the MEA statement, Indigo announced a new daily non-stop route between Kolkata and Guangzhou. A statement by the airline said the flight services would begin on October 26, adding that it was also planning to introduce direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou at a later stage.
The flights will be operating using Airbus A320neo aircraft.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in the statement that IndiGo had previously operated flights between the countries prior to Covid restrictions. “We are proud to be amongst the first to resume direct connectivity to China from two points in India. This will once again allow seamless movement of people, goods, and ideas, while also strengthening bilateral ties between the two of the world’s most populous countries and fast-growing economies," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in the statement.
