India and China have tentatively agreed to restart direct flights between their countries, nearly five years after they were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating political tensions.

The announcement on Monday came after India’s senior diplomat visited Beijing, suggesting a potential easing of strained relations between the two most populous nations in the world.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to the Chinese capital is among the most significant official interactions since the deadly border clash in the Himalayas in 2020, which pushed relations to a breaking point.

India’s Foreign Ministry announced that a visit by the senior envoy to Beijing resulted in an agreement "in principle" to reinstate direct air services between the two nations.

"The relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date,” it said.

'Restoring trust and confidence'

India’s statement further noted that China had agreed to allow the resumption of pilgrimages to a revered shrine dedicated to the Hindu deity Krishna, a tradition that had been suspended since the start of the decade.

The statement said both sides had committed to intensifying diplomacy to “restore mutual trust and confidence” and resolve outstanding trade and economic issues.

A Chinese foreign ministry statement mentioned the agreement on flight resumptions but said both countries worked to improve ties since last year. 

The Chinese statement said, “The improvement and development of China-India relations is fully in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries."

Flights between the two countries were suspended in early 2020 at the onset of the pandemic.  

While services to Hong Kong gradually resumed as the public health situation improved, direct flights to mainland China remained grounded due to the sharp deterioration in relations following the deadly border clash later that year.

Last year in November, the Indian Army resumed patrols at one of the disputed friction points along its border with China, a significant step toward easing tensions between the two nations.

The resumption followed an agreement between India and China to restore patrolling rights and reduce military standoffs, as announced last month ahead of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.

The Indian Army confirmed the patrol in Depsang, one of the contested areas, in a statement from its 'Fire and Fury Corps' on social media, describing it as a "positive step toward maintaining peace and tranquility" along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).