Beijing (PTI): India has given security clearance to cargo flights by China's Great Wall Airlines to Mumbai and Chennai, which could pave the way for Beijing to allow Indian carriers to commence operations to various Chinese destinations.

"We have cleared from our side the cargo flights (of Great Wall) to Mumbai and Chennai," highly placed sources said here.

New Delhi's move, which came as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh began his official visit to China, is expected to encourage Beijing to grant long-pending clearance to Air India and Jet Airways to launch flights to Chinese cities of Guangzhou and Shanghai respectively. Air India already operates to Shanghai.

India had earlier offered Great Wall Airlines the right to operate to Delhi as a point of call instead of the two Indian metros, which was not accepted by the Chinese side.

India had taken the stand in the wake of blacklisting of the carrier by the United States for its alleged involvement in transfer of missile technology to Iran.

As a result of the American decision, the Chinese cargo carrier had folded up operations for six months. However, it revived in early last year with its controlling stakes going to Beijing Aerospace Satellite Applications Corporation (BASA).