China-India Direct Flights Resume After Five-Year Hiatus, First Flight Arrives in Guangzhou

The direct flights between India and China, which had been suspended for over five years, officially resumed on Monday, October 27. A passenger plane from Kolkata arrived in Guangzhou at 4 a.m., marking a sign of easing tensions between the two countries after years of strain and opening new channels for bilateral trade and people-to-people exchanges.

According to airport data, the flight was operated by India's largest low-cost airline, IndiGo. The flight number 6E1703 took off from Kolkata International Airport in eastern India and landed in Guangzhou, a southern Chinese city, before 4 a.m. Beijing Time.

Restarting After Five Years of Interruption: Signs of Warming Bilateral Relations

This is the first direct flight between India and China since the outbreak of the pandemic and the deterioration of bilateral relations. The Indian government stated that resuming direct flights would help "promote people-to-people exchanges" and promote the "gradual normalization" of bilateral economic and trade relations.

India and China were involved in a deadly clash in the Himalayas in 2020, resulting in the death of at least 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers, causing bilateral relations to hit rock bottom. Since then, the two sides have gradually restored communication through multiple high-level meetings in Russia last year and in China in August this year.

According to the latest data from the Indian Ministry of Commerce, India's imports from China exceeded 11 billion USD in the previous month, an increase of 16% year-on-year; its exports to China amounted to 1.47 billion USD, an increase of about 34%, although the scale still shows a huge gap.

New Route Connects Delhi, Shanghai, and Guangzhou

According to information from the Indian government, starting in November, New Delhi will launch direct flights to Shanghai and Guangzhou, supplementing the previously uninterrupted India-Hong Kong route.

Rajeev Singh, chairman of the Kolkata Chamber of Commerce, told AFP: "This is a great boon for trade and people-to-people exchanges. Direct flights will significantly reduce transportation and customs clearance time."

He pointed out that Kolkata has maintained commercial exchanges with Chinese coastal cities since the British colonial era, and it still retains a Chinatown and a culture of Chinese-influenced cuisine.

Strategic Signal Amid Cooling U.S.-India Relations

Amid the cooling of India-U.S. relations, India and the United States have experienced friction. In late August, U.S. President Trump imposed a 50% tariff on all Indian exports, accusing India of indirectly "funding the Ukraine war" by purchasing Russian oil.

Analysts believe that the resumption of this route not only has economic significance but also serves as a diplomatic signal. Earlier, the Indian media outlet The Indian Express commented that "strengthening ties with Beijing is a clear signal to Washington."

However, Indian public opinion has also warned that easing tensions does not mean resolving fundamental contradictions. The newspaper pointed out: "Facing a China that is increasingly assertive in regional affairs, how to manage relations in the long term remains a strategic challenge for India."

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1847102153443328/

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