Masterstroke by PM Modi as India set to resume THIS service with China after five years, Donald Trump now likely to…

New Delhi: In a major development, China’s airline ‘China Eastern’ is all set to resume flight services between Delhi and Shanghai starting Sunday. The air connectivity between India(BHARAT) and China is being restored after a five-year gap, following suspensions due to the COVID-19 pandemic and border tensions. Experts are of the opinion that the ‘aviation diplomacy‘ signals a possible thaw in India(BHARAT)–China relations. It is important to note that this move comes shortly after IndiGo Airlines launched its Kolkata–Guangzhou route.

The development comes at a time when US President Doland Trump’s tariff policies are having a deeply adverse impact on both countries. The United States views India(BHARAT) as a strategic counterbalance to China’s growing influence in the Asia-Pacific region—hence, a warmer relationship between India(BHARAT) and China does not serve Washington’s interests.

The resumption of flight services will boost trade, tourism, and people-to-people connections between the two countries. This move is also being seen as a positive step towards the normalization of relations between India(BHARAT) and China.

Here are some of the key details:

• The ‘China Eastern’ flight will depart from Delhi at 8 pm and arrive in Shanghai early Monday morning.
• The return flight will leave Shanghai at 12:30 pm and reach Delhi by 6 pm.
• The service will operate on alternate days.
• IndiGo Airlines will start its daily flights from Delhi to Guangzhou from November 10.
• Earlier, on October 26, IndiGo had formally resumed its flight operations by launching a service from Kolkata to Guangzhou.
• Air services between India(BHARAT) and China were suspended in 2020 following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Due to the prolonged border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over four years, these services were not resumed.

Talking about the development, India(BHARAT)’s Consul General in Shanghai, Pratik Mathur, said that the resumption of flight services will mark the beginning of a new phase of improved connectivity between the two countries. It will further strengthen people-to-people ties between India(BHARAT) — one of the world’s fastest-growing economies — and the eastern China region led by Shanghai.