BEIJING — After a five-year suspension, direct flights between China and India have officially resumed — a step viewed as a cautious but positive sign in the gradual improvement of relations between the two Asian giants.

On Monday, IndiGo’s flight 6E1703 from Kolkata touched down in Guangzhou with 180 passengers onboard, marking the first direct air link since 2020, when flights were halted following the COVID-19 pandemic and deadly border clashes in the Himalayas.

Officials said the move aims to strengthen “people-to-people connections” and pave the way for broader engagement between the two countries. The resumption comes after recent interactions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, as well as small but symbolic gestures of goodwill — including the traditional exchange of Diwali sweets between soldiers stationed along the border.