India-China flights: A deal born of economic necessity

AFTER more than five years, India and China are preparing to reopen direct air routes. Talks on updating the bilateral air services pact are continuing, even as flights are scheduled to resume on October 26. IndiGo’s Kolkata–Guangzhou service will take to the skies, ending a suspension that began with the pandemic but deepened with the 2020 Galwan clash. The resumption has been welcomed as a sign of easing tensions, yet it is more a cautious reset than a sweeping thaw. Behind the move, however, lies economic compulsion rather than diplomatic warmth. India’s small and medium enterprises — the backbone of its manufacturing and trading sectors — are heavily dependent on Chinese raw materials and finished goods. From electronics and pharmaceuticals to auto parts and chemicals, disruptions in supply have hurt output and inflated costs. Restoring direct air links became a practical necessity to keep production lines moving and markets supplied. In effect, India has been forced to make a limited deal with China to prevent further strain on its own businesses.

Even so, symbolism must not be mistaken for substance. The restart covers only select cities and carriers, reflecting guarded intent rather than open skies. Border disengagement talks remain fragile, with neither side conceding ground on territorial disputes. India’s staggering $99-billion trade deficit with China adds another layer of caution. A few restored flights will not erase structural imbalances or strategic rivalry.

For Beijing, with slowing growth, renewed access to Indian markets and students is attractive. For New Delhi, allowing aviation resumption signals pragmatic diplomacy — engaging where necessary without abandoning red lines. It also reassures other partners that India is not shutting doors, even as it diversifies ties with the West and Asia-Pacific. The test lies in what follows. If routes expand, exchanges deepen and tensions stay low, skies could truly clear. Until then, this is a deal driven by necessity — one that offers opportunity, but demands vigilance.