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India and China to Restart Direct Flights From Oct. 26

The move follows technical talks under a revised air services framework, signaling a phased rollout tied to carrier decisions and regulatory clearances.

An IndiGo airlines passenger aircraft taxis on the tarmac at Chhatrapati Shivaji International airport in Mumbai.
FILE - An aircraft of India's budget airline IndiGo is serviced at Kempegowda International Airport in Bangalore, India, Sept. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool, File)
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Overview

  • The External Affairs Ministry said services can resume by late October in line with the winter schedule, subject to airlines’ commercial choices and fulfillment of operational criteria.
  • IndiGo announced daily non-stop Kolkata–Guangzhou flights starting Oct. 26, with a Delhi–Guangzhou route to follow pending approvals.
  • Air India is reported by industry sources to be preparing a Delhi–Shanghai service by year-end, which has not been formally announced by the airline.
  • Indian and Chinese aviation authorities held technical-level discussions this year and negotiated updates to the Air Services Agreement to enable the restart.
  • Direct links have been suspended since early 2020 after the pandemic and subsequent tensions, and the resumption is framed as facilitating travel for students, businesses and families within a broader, cautious thaw.