Can China + India be friends again? China and India have agreed to relaunch direct flights after a five-year hiatus, as both countries work to restore their bilateral trade amid trade tensions with the US, Reuters reports. The agreement comes after a border dispute — that culminated in a military clash in 2020 — triggered a diplomatic rift between two of the world’s biggest economies. The details and timeline for resuming flights remains unclear, though another round of talks is expected soon.

Shoring up allies? The move comes after the US doubled its tariffs on India to 50% — a hike scheduled to take effect starting 27 August — as punishment for purchasing Russian oil. This caused Chinese refiners to ramp up purchases of Russia’s crude, taking advantage of reduced pricing for Russian cargoes. The US has also threatened to double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50% to reduce reliance on Chinese metals.

SFL + Maersk lock in chartering pact: International shipping and chartering company SFL Corporation and Maersk have agreed to a five-year charter extension for three of SFL’s 9.5k TEU container ships, with the new charters set to begin in 2026, according to the company’s latest quarterly report. The move will add roughly USD 225 mn to SFL Corporation’s backlog from 2026 through 2031.

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