India And China To Reopen Direct Flights Soon, Ease Visas – Here’s What It Means For Travellers

New Delhi: The national capital saw two days of intense diplomacy last week. The visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, which was hosted at the invitation of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, placed the spotlight once again on the complex but important relationship between India and China.

From August 18 to 19, Wang joined Doval in co-chairing the 24th round of the Special Representatives’ Dialogue on the Boundary Question. He also met External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The conversations went beyond the sensitive boundary issue and touched travel, trade and cultural exchanges.

Prime Minister Modi shared his outlook after the meetings. “Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity,” he posted on X.

Direct Flights, Easier Visas

The highlight for travellers came in the form of a long-awaited decision. Both governments agreed to restart direct flights between India and the Chinese mainland at the earliest and to finalise a new Air Services Agreement.

In addition to resuming air services, the two sides also announced visa facilitation for tourists, business visitors, media professionals and others.

Progress On The Border Dialogue

The boundary question remained central. Both sides acknowledged that peace had largely been maintained since the last round of dialogue.

New steps were agreed upon:

• Viewing the issue through a political lens in line with the 2005 guiding principles.
• Setting up an Expert Group to explore “early harvest” outcomes in boundary delimitation.
• Creating a Working Group for smoother border management.
• Extending General Level Mechanisms to eastern and middle sectors, beyond the western sector.
• Using existing diplomatic and military platforms to carry forward de-escalation talks.
• The next round of the Special Representatives’ Dialogue will take place in China.

Wider Bilateral Engagements

Jaishankar’s meeting with Wang covered a wider canvas. The decisions that were taken included:

• Re-opening of border trade routes through Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass and Nathu La Pass.
• Expansion of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from 2026.
• Enhanced cooperation on rivers, with China committing to share hydrological data during emergencies.
• Steps to strengthen investment and trade flows.

Support In Global Forums

India and China also exchanged assurances on multilateral events. China welcomed Prime Minister Modi’s participation in the SCO Summit at Tianjin later this year.

India reaffirmed its support for China’s SCO presidency. In return, Beijing expressed support for India’s hosting of the BRICS Summit in 2026.

The visit closed with both sides reaffirming a shared message. Dialogue will continue. Travel will resume. Pilgrimage routes will expand. Trade will grow. The border remains under watch, but the language of engagement is back on the table.