New Delhi, Oct 10: Direct flights between India and China will resume after five years from October 26. India and China have agreed to resume direct flights by the end of this month after continuous discussions between civil aviation officials.
The two countries agreed to the flights after a landmark meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
IndiGo will operate a daily flight from Kolkata to Guangzhou from October 26. According to sources, Air India is likely to resume its flight services to China by the end of the year. The flights, which were suspended after the Covid-19 pandemic, had not resumed.
IndiGo will start daily flights from Delhi and Kolkata to Guangzhou on October 26, while Air India, which last flew to China in February 2020, plans to resume its Delhi-Shanghai service by the end of the year.
The aviation ministry said, "India and China will resume direct flight services by the end of October 2025 in line with the winter schedule. This is an ongoing technical-level agreement between civil aviation officials as part of broader efforts to normalise bilateral relations.
The move will enhance air connectivity, support people-to-people exchanges and strengthen economic collaboration between the two countries.
IndiGo aims to bring products from China to the Indian market through its Guangzhou flights, while Air India will focus on the business community and students by operating to Shanghai, a source said.
Subject to regulatory approvals, IndiGo will soon introduce direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou... These flights are said to re-establish routes for cross-border trade and strategic business partnerships and boost tourism between the two countries.