India and China agree to restore air travel after almost five years.

According to India’s foreign ministry, both sides will negotiate a framework for the flights during a meeting scheduled to take place at an "early date."

India and China have agreed to resume direct air services after nearly five years, signaling an improvement in relations following a deadly 2020 military clash along their disputed Himalayan border, India’s foreign ministry announced on Monday.

Both nations will work toward finalizing a framework for the resumption of flights in an upcoming meeting scheduled to take place at an "early date," the ministry stated after discussions between India’s top diplomat and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Relations between the two neighbors deteriorated sharply after the 2020 border clash, leading India to restrict Chinese investments, ban hundreds of popular Chinese apps, and suspend passenger air routes, although direct cargo flights continued. Over the past four months, relations have gradually improved, marked by several high-level meetings, including talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia last October.

During Monday’s meeting in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized the importance of mutual understanding and collaboration, urging both countries to "work in the same direction" and explore "more substantive measures."

Discussions also touched on resolving "specific concerns in the economic and trade areas" to foster long-term policy transparency and predictability, according to the Indian foreign ministry.

The meeting follows an October agreement aimed at reducing tensions along the India-China border. Earlier, Reuters reported that China’s government and airlines had sought to restore direct air links, but India initially resisted due to ongoing border disputes. In October, Indian government sources indicated that the country might reopen skies and fast-track visa approvals.

Both sides have also agreed to restart dialogue on functional exchanges, beginning with an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism. Wang Yi further stressed the importance of replacing "suspicion" and "alienation" with "mutual support and mutual achievement," as noted in the Chinese foreign ministry’s statement.