India To Re-Start Direct Flights To China? Vikram Misri Set To Discuss Matter As Bilateral Relations Thaw: Report

(MENAFN- Live Mint) International travellers are eyeing India's relationship with China as Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri begins his Beijing visit today. The expectation of a relationship with China is giving rise to the hope for normalisation of air connectivity between the two countries, reported the news portal Indian Express on Sunday, January 26.

According to the report, India and China have not had regular passenger flights between them since early 2020.

The foreign secretary is expected to address issues like the resumption of direct flights, normalisation of visa issuance, and the Chinese demands in his visit, as per the report.

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The lack of aviation connectivity between India and mainland China, along with strict visa regulations and restrictions, has fueled the airlines of both nations to lose out on passenger traffic.

The entire passenger load is currently diverted through connecting hubs in South and South East Asia. The overall passenger load has dropped to less than half of its level compared to that in 2019.

According to the January to October 2024 data, the total number of travellers between India and China (both directions) was at 4.6 lakh, compared to nearly a million in the same period in 2019, cited the news portal quoting a passenger data analysis agency Cirium finds.

Direct flights made up 46 per cent of the total passenger flow between the two countries, as per the report.

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According to the data cited in the report, in the first 10 months of 2024, more than 98,000 international travellers moving between India and China used Singapore as their connecting hub. This is 16.6 per cent more than the level in the year 2019.

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