External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed the possibility of resuming direct flights between India and China with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, on Monday.
The conversation took place on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where they also addressed the revival of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Direct flights between the two neighboring countries were suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Wang Yi, during his meeting with Jaishankar emphasised the need to implement the key consensus reached by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during their summit in Russia.
Wang Yi stated that the recent meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of last month’s BRICS summit in Kazan, along with the renewed engagement in China-India relations, aligns with the core interests of both nations’ peoples, the aspirations of Global South countries, and the broader trajectory of historical progress.
During their meeting in Kazan, PM Modi and Jinping endorsed the India-China agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. They also directed the revival of various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signaling efforts to restore normalcy in relations strained by the deadly military clash in 2020.
Wang Yi emphasised the need for both sides to send positive signals, take steps to promote bilateral exchanges, build mutual trust, and reduce suspicions. He also called for increased cooperation and efforts to minimise friction between the two nations.
(With PTI inputs)