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January 28, 2025 – China/India –
In a significant diplomatic development, India and China have reached an agreement to resume direct air travel and facilitate the exchange of journalists, signaling a gradual thaw in relations following years of heightened tensions. This agreement was announced after Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on January 27-28, 2025.
Direct passenger flights between India and China have been suspended since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and worsening border tensions, particularly following the deadly Galwan Valley clash. The restoration of air travel will not only ease business and personal travel but also revive cultural and people-to-people exchanges that have been stagnant for nearly five years.
Equally notable is the decision to facilitate the exchange of journalists, a move aimed at improving media transparency and bilateral communication. Over recent years, both countries have imposed strict restrictions on each other’s journalists, limiting media presence and exacerbating mutual mistrust. This new arrangement will allow reporters from both nations to obtain necessary accreditations, easing their ability to report from each other’s territories and helping to bridge the informational gap that has fueled diplomatic misunderstandings.
Beyond travel and media access, both sides also agreed to resume Indian pilgrimages to sacred sites in Tibet and to continue expert-level discussions on managing transboundary rivers. These measures reflect a broader commitment to building confidence and expanding cooperation beyond immediate geopolitical disputes.
However, underlying tensions persist. India remains concerned about China’s hydropower projects on the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, fearing potential impacts on water resources downstream. While both sides have agreed to maintain dialogue on these sensitive issues, a long-term resolution remains to be seen.
This latest agreement follows months of quiet diplomacy and builds on previous high-level interactions, including meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping. While the two countries continue to navigate complex military and strategic challenges, the resumption of journalist exchanges and air travel marks a meaningful step towards restoring trust and stabilizing relations between Asia’s two largest nations.
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