India and China have agreed to resume direct air services between the two countries, New Delhi said in a statement on Monday after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing.

The announcement followed a visit to Beijing by India’s top diplomat, signalling the latest signs of easing tensions between the world’s two most populous nations.

Indian Foreign Ministry Secretary Vikram Misri’s trip to the Chinese capital was among the highest-level official visits since the 2020 deadly Himalayan border clash that severely strained bilateral relations.

A statement from India’s foreign ministry said a visit by a top envoy to Beijing had yielded agreement “in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries”.

“The relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date,” it said.

India’s statement also said both sides had agreed to work harder on diplomacy to “restore mutual trust and confidence” and to resolve outstanding trade and economic issues.

With inputs from agencies

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India and China agree to resume flights after 5 years, restore mutual trust and confidence