India and China Resume Direct Flights as Ties Improve
Ashwini Gambo
New Delhi / Guangzhou:
Direct flights between India and China have officially resumed, marking a significant step forward in restoring bilateral ties after years of diplomatic tension and pandemic-related disruption. The move comes as both nations signal a willingness to normalize exchanges and rebuild cooperation following years of strained relations.
The first flight, IndiGo 6E 1703, departed from Kolkata and landed in Guangzhou on Monday morning, carrying around 180 passengers. The flight’s launch ended a suspension that had been in place since early 2020, when both countries halted air links due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Relations further soured that same year after a deadly border clash in the Galwan Valley, leading to a freeze in many areas of engagement.
However, signs of thaw have emerged in recent months. In August 2025, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made his first visit to China in seven years, while Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India during the same month to discuss trade, connectivity, and regional stability. Both sides also reached a landmark border patrol agreement last year aimed at easing tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
At Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, airline staff lit traditional brass oil lamps on Sunday evening to commemorate the return of direct flights. Speaking to reporters, Qin Yong, a senior Chinese consular official, described it as a “very important day for the India-China relationship,” emphasizing that connectivity would help restore mutual trust and cooperation.
The Indian government said the resumption of direct routes would “facilitate people-to-people contact” and support “the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges.” India has also restarted the issuance of visas for Chinese tourists, a move expected to boost business, academic, and cultural travel.
Following IndiGo’s launch of the Kolkata–Guangzhou route, China Eastern Airlines is scheduled to begin Shanghai–Delhi services in November, with additional routes under consideration depending on demand and diplomatic progress.
The resumption of flights is being widely seen as a symbolic yet practical gesture one that reflects the cautious rebuilding of trust between two of Asia’s most powerful neighbors. Improved connectivity is expected to enhance trade logistics, reduce transit times, and revive tourism and educational exchanges disrupted for nearly five years.
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