New Delhi, Oct. 3 -- India and China are set to resume direct flights between selected cities after a gap of five years, with the external affairs ministry saying on Thursday that the move will contribute to the gradual normalisation of bilateral relations. The resumption of direct air services - suspended since 2020 - figured in several meetings held after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in the Russian city of Kazan in October 2024, two days after an understanding to end the standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and decided to revive several mechanisms to normalise relations. The civil aviation authorities of India and China were engaged in technical discussions on resuming direct flights and on a revised air services agreement since earlier this year, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. This was part of the government's "approach towards gradual normalisation" of bilateral relations. "Following these discussions, it has now been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025, in keeping with the winter season schedule, subject to commercial decision of the designated carriers from the two countries and fulfilment of all operational criteria," the statement said. This agreement between the civil aviation authorities of the two countries will "further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges", the statement said....