India and China edge closer to resuming direct flights after 5 years
September 3, 2025
Direct flights between India and China are edging closer to a restart after a five-year suspension, with Chinese airlines applying for slots at Delhi’s international airport and preparing to re-enter the market from this winter.
India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is also preparing to reinstate services to Chinese cities, namely Chengdu and Guangzhou.
At the same time, Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Shandong Airlines have all expressed interest in resuming flights.
Air China is looking at flights from Beijing, China Eastern from Shanghai, China Southern from Guangzhou, and Shandong Airlines from Kunming.
In addition, China Eastern has reportedly signalled plans to relaunch its Kunming–Kolkata connection.
Resumption of China – India flights this winter?
A person familiar with the discussions told India’s The Hindu newspaper that Chinese airlines were optimistic about restarting operations from the upcoming winter schedule, pending official approval.
Foreign operators must secure authorisation from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation before launching services.
The process requires carriers to provide corporate, operational and fleet details, as well as having their security programmes cleared by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
“Operating authorisation is valid for five years, and since Chinese carriers have not been flying to India since February 202,0 that has lapsed,” a source told the paper.
Diplomacy paves way for China – India flights restart
The move follows diplomatic discussions between New Delhi and Beijing.
During a recent meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping confirmed plans to restart direct flights.
It was Modi’s first visit to China in seven years, underscoring the importance of the announcement.
The decision comes as both governments seek to cushion their economies from wider trade volatility.
With US tariffs creating uncertainty for global supply chains, India and China have stepped up cooperation in recent months, including agreements to promote cross-border investment and the easing of tourist visa rules for Chinese nationals.
Restoring connectivity
Before the suspension of services, direct connectivity was extensive.
Chinese airlines together mounted 42 flights a week to India, with Air China serving both Delhi and Mumbai from Beijing, China Southern running double-daily flights from Delhi to Guangzhou, and China Eastern operating a daily link between Delhi and Shanghai. Shandong Airlines also offered four weekly flights from Kunming.
On the Indian side, Air India flew five times weekly to Shanghai from Delhi, while IndiGo maintained daily services to Chengdu and Guangzhou.
Growing numbers of international visitors are now entering China following the introduction of visa-free entry and an extended 240-hour transit visa scheme.
Outbound travel from China is also gradually rebounding, though links with the United States remain capped below pre-pandemic levels.
The absence of direct links has funnelled passengers through hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Hong Kong and Singapore have emerged as the largest gateways, each carrying around 30% of the India–China transfer traffic in the last financial year.
