Direct Flights From India To China To Resume Shortly, Lead To Boost Festive Travel And Trade

In the latest development, China and India will resume direct passenger flights by the end of October, marking a major boost in connectivity during the festive season. India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the decision, stating that it would strengthen people-to-people ties.

IndiGo announced that it will start daily Kolkata–Guangzhou flights from October 26, with ticket sales opening on October 3. The airline also plans to launch Delhi–Guangzhou flights soon. Air India is preparing to restart services on the Delhi–Shanghai route by the end of the year. The move comes after months of discussions between the two governments and aviation authorities.

IndiGo and Air India to expand routes

IndiGo hailed the revival of aviation links between the world’s second and fourth largest economies. Its CEO Pieter Elbers said the airline will expand services to more Chinese cities in the future. Air India, now under private ownership, is also planning to reintroduce China routes, starting with Shanghai. The airlines said these flights will reduce long travel times and open up new opportunities for business partnerships, tourism, and trade. The return of direct connectivity marks the first major step in restoring normal travel after years of disruption due to the pandemic.

Relief for Indian and Chinese travelers

Passengers have welcomed the move, calling it a much-needed relief. Jayanta Nandi, an Indian entrepreneur in Beijing, said his family had been waiting for this development. Amit Tiwari, an Indian professional in China, said the shorter travel time would be a big help, especially for families with children. Travelers earlier had to rely on long transit routes via Hong Kong, Hanoi, or Almaty, which made journeys time-consuming and expensive. Media professional Natasha Patidar said direct flights will remove complexities that came with stopovers, even though some layovers offered unique travel experiences.

Direct flights are also expected to strengthen bilateral trade and investments. According to the Indian Embassy in China, trade between the two countries rose 7.86 percent to $127.71 billion in 2024–25. Cumulative Chinese investment in India reached $3.2 billion between 2015 and 2023, while India invested $2.5 billion in China from 2000 to 2025. Recent meetings, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the SCO Summit and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s trip to New Delhi, laid the groundwork for new trade agreements. India aims to import fertilizers, rare earth metals, and tunnel machines, while China has introduced a new K visa to attract Indian STEM professionals.

The resumption of flights is being seen as a concrete step towards improving bilateral relations. Both countries, the world’s most populous nations, recognize their complementarities as two of the fastest-growing markets. Analysts believe the move will create stronger cultural and economic exchanges. With festive celebrations underway and direct flights resuming, the two sides are set to witness renewed momentum in travel, business, and people-to-people contact.

(Inputs taken from Ankit Prasad – CGTN reporter) 

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