Direct Flights Between India, China Resume
(MENAFN) Direct flights between China and India resumed on Sunday after a five-year hiatus, marking a significant step in the restoration of air links between the two nations.
The announcement to restart the air connection was made during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Kazan last October, following several years of strained relations between the two countries.
The first flight, operated by Indian private airline IndiGo, was an A320 Neo aircraft traveling from Kolkata to Guangzhou with 176 passengers on board.
A special ceremony was held at the airport to commemorate the occasion, where one of the passengers lit a ceremonial lamp, symbolizing the spirit of renewed friendship and collaboration between India and China.
Abdul, a businessman who often travels to China, shared his excitement about the new route, saying, "My flight was going to Hong Kong. I had to cancel that, and now it’s going directly from Kolkata to Guangzhou. So it’s a very good opportunity here, and I hope it will start directly from Delhi too."
Yu Jing, the spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in India, expressed her support for the resumption of flights in a post on X, adding that the Shanghai-New Delhi route will launch on November 9 with three weekly flights.
Direct flights between the two countries were suspended at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, further exacerbating tensions after a border clash in June of that year.
However, in July 2025, India began issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens again, after a five-year break.
Later, Prime Minister Modi visited China for the first time since 2018 and met President Xi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.
Modi expressed optimism about the relationship, noting, "Our relationship has taken a positive direction. There is peace and stability on the borders."
On Sunday, Xu Feihong, the Chinese Ambassador to India, shared an update on India's exports to China.
He noted that in the first half of the fiscal year 2025-26, Indian exports to China had surged by about 22% compared to the same period in the previous fiscal year.
The ambassador also mentioned, “China welcomes more premium Indian goods in its market and stands ready to help offset the impact of US tariffs on India’s trade.”
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