Ruptly
"Direct passenger flights between Beijing and New Delhi resumed on Tuesday, representing another significant step forward in the ties between the two major Asian powers following a nearly six-year hiatus. Passengers at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport welcomed the move, citing the inconvenience of prior indirect routes for travel. “I think it’s a very good decision by our government to start a direct flight from Beijing to New Delhi. Passengers have got a lot of relief from this,” said Showkat Ahmed Bhat, a traveller on the route. “We used to have to travel to Hong Kong or another country to reach China. Now it’s much easier,” he added, noting the importance of the route for business travellers. The Beijing–Delhi service is part of a broader restoration of air links between the two countries. Routes such as Delhi–Guangzhou and Kolkata–Shanghai have also resumed, while China Eastern Airlines restarted flights between Kunming and Kolkata on April 18. India’s IndiGo has also expanded operations in China, including a daily non-stop Kolkata–Shanghai service launched on March 30, alongside flights to Guangzhou from both Kolkata and Delhi. The returns signal the improving relations between New Delhi and Beijing. In recent months, India has moved to relax restrictions on Chinese investment in sectors such as electronics, capital goods and solar energy, alongside a cautious reset in economic engagement. Diplomatic contacts have also resumed. Direct flights between China and India were suspended in early 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions and worsening border tensions following clashes along the Himalayan frontier."
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