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India and China are likely to resume direct flight services as early as next month, signalling a thaw in relations between the two neighbouring nations. 

The central government has asked airlines in India such as Air India and IndiGo to be ready to launch flight services to China at short notice, news agency Reuters reported.

Direct flights between the two countries have been suspended since the Covid-19 outbreak, forcing travellers to pass through hubs like Singapore or Hong Kong. Before the suspension, Indian carriers as well Chinese airlines such as China Southern, Air China, and China Eastern operated flight services between key cities of the two countries.

A report by Bloomberg said that the government has asked Indian airlines to prepare flights to China at short notice, with a possible official announcement as soon as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit at the end of August in China. 

The ties between India and China strained since the deadly border clashes in June 2020 Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. The incident led to increased troop deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and a prolonged diplomatic and military standoff.

While several friction points remain unresolved, both sides have achieved partial disengagement in recent years, including a breakthrough last October in the Depsang and Demchok areas, where troops and temporary structures were withdrawn.

The move to restore air connectivity comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. This will be his first trip to China since 2019. Beijing has welcomed the visit, calling the summit “a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results.”

PM Modi’s trip follows recent China visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for SCO-related engagements in recent months.

Air India on Monday announced the suspension of its direct link to Washington DC next month, citing "operational factors". The airline still flies to San Francisco and New York.