India and China are set to re-establish direct flight services between the two nations, a significant development expected to be officially announced around the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, scheduled from August 31 to September 1, 2025. This move marks a crucial step towards normalizing relations that have been strained since a border clash in 2020.
The resumption of flights, suspended for five years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent geopolitical tensions, aims to revive trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges. The diplomatic groundwork for this significant step has been laid through recent high-level engagements. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited New Delhi on August 18-19, 2025, for the 24th round of Special Representative talks with India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. These discussions were described as positive and substantive, focusing on border peace and the establishment of new working groups for boundary delimitation and management. During his visit, Wang Yi also met with India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to attend the SCO summit in Tianjin, where he is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping, providing a platform to further solidify the improving ties. The re-establishment of direct air connectivity is poised to have substantial economic implications. With bilateral trade exceeding $110 billion, the resumption of flights is expected to streamline logistics, reduce travel time and costs for business travelers, and boost investment. Industry analysts predict a potential 20% increase in manufacturing output over the next five years due to improved supply chain efficiency.
Key sectors such as electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals are anticipated to benefit significantly from faster movement of components and finished products. For travelers, the convenience of direct flights will replace the previous necessity of lengthy layovers in hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore, enhancing both business and leisure travel. This initiative is seen as a practical step towards rebuilding trust and fostering a more interconnected future for Asia.
The move also reflects a broader geopolitical recalibration, with India's decision to enhance engagement with China occurring amidst evolving trade dynamics with the United States. The upcoming SCO summit in Tianjin is expected to be the largest in the organization's history, underscoring the growing importance of multilateral platforms for dialogue and cooperation.