In a big step forward in India-China ties, the two countries have discussed resuming direct flights between the countries as well restarting the Kailash Mansarovar yatra.

The two key issues were discussed when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Rio de Janeiro, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. 

The meeting was the first high-level engagement between the two countries since the completion of the disengagement process in the two contentious areas of Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh and the ministers noted that this had contributed to the maintenance of peace and tranquility.

Direct flights between India and China were suspended because of the Covid pandemic in 2020 and have not resumed since then despite the restrictions being lifted. The stand-off in Ladakh began in May that year and a clash took place in Ladakh’s Galwan the next month in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in action and the Chinese side also suffered losses, with the exact number remaining unconfirmed. A troop buildup followed on both sides and military-level talks began taking place to resolve the stand-off.