India To China Flight Resume After Historic 5-Year Gap

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India–China Direct Flights Resume After Five Years Today

After a five-year suspension, direct air connectivity between India and China has officially resumed — marking a positive step toward normalising ties between the two nations.

The first flight, IndiGo 6E 1703, departed from Kolkata and landed in Guangzhou on Monday, October 27, carrying around 180 passengers.

This milestone opens new travel opportunities for business and leisure flyers, strengthening cross-border connections once again.

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Direct Flights to China from India

India To China Flight will resume from September 2025, ending a five-year break in air connectivity between these Asian giants. The COVID-19 pandemic forced a complete halt to direct commercial flights between both countries in early 2020. Travelers had to take longer, costlier routes through places like Hong Kong and Singapore.

This major development in India-China relations comes as Delhi and Beijing show early signs of diplomatic warming. Both countries tried to restart direct flights in January and June this year, but these attempts failed due to ongoing tensions. The flight suspension came after bilateral relations worsened following June 2020's border clashes in Ladakh's Galwan Valley. The conflict claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers and an unreported number of Chinese troops.

Business travelers, tourists, and families spent five years dealing with longer travel times and higher costs while both neighbors' relations stayed tense. The upcoming return of direct flights marks a possible shift in India and China's complex relationship. This change could boost trade, tourism, and diplomatic ties between the world's two most populous nations.

India To China Flight Resumption After 5-Year Hiatus

India and China plan to restore direct flight services from September 2025, multiple authoritative sources confirm. This marks a major step forward in bilateral relations after air connectivity remained suspended for five years. Travelers had to take longer routes through transit hubs during this period.

Bloomberg Report Reveals Imminent Flight Operations

Bloomberg's report first announced that flights between India and China would resume soon, showing both countries are in "advanced stages" of talks to restore air connectivity. The service could start as early as next month, with talks moving forward rapidly in the last two weeks. This news emerges as both nations work to rebuild political ties after tensions from the Eastern Ladakh border standoff.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian confirmed these developments. "For some time, the Chinese side has been in close communication with India to promote the early resumption of direct flights between the two countries". This statement serves as the first official confirmation from either government about flights resuming soon.

Airlines Prepare for Short-Notice Launch

Indian aviation authorities have asked domestic carriers to be ready for India To China Flight operations with little notice. Air India and IndiGo have received instructions to start their preparations. IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers confirmed their readiness to start services once bilateral arrangements are complete.

Indian Consul General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur met with China Eastern Airlines' senior management team. Senior GM Global Shen Jinsong led these talks about civil aviation growth in the region.

Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern used to run several weekly flights before the suspension. These connected major Indian cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata with Chinese destinations including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming.

SCO Summit Expected to Formalize Announcement

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, scheduled for August 31 to September 1, might see the official flight resumption announcement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at this summit makes it more notable, as it would be his first China visit in seven years.

The summit provided an ideal diplomatic stage to advance discussions on restoring air connectivity. During the event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In Modi’s meeting with Xi, both sides reiterated their earlier decision—first announced in January—to resume direct flights, though implementation has faced delays. The presence of Putin alongside Modi and Xi further underscored the summit’s importance as a platform for strengthening regional cooperation.

This breakthrough in aviation follows other positive steps in bilateral relations. India recently eased tourist visa restrictions for Chinese nationals. India To China Flights will cut down travel time and costs for passengers who have been flying through Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok since early 2020.

COVID-19 Pandemic Forced Travelers to Use Indirect Routes Since 2020

Direct flights between India and China stopped completely. Travelers had to find other ways to travel between these countries for more than five years. This forced passengers to take multi-stop trips that changed how people moved between these neighboring nations.

Passengers Endured Extended Travel Times via Hong Kong and Singapore

Commercial flights between India and China stopped in early 2020. Passengers had to travel through regional hubs. Hong Kong and Singapore became the main transit points, while Bangkok, Thailand, and Dubai served as other options. A direct 5-6 hour trip now took much longer. Bloomberg reported that 539 direct passenger flights operated between these countries in December 2019, which dropped to zero overnight.

People faced difficult multiple connections that added 4-10 hours to their travel time. This especially affected:

• Business executives who traveled often between countries

• Students studying in either nation

• Family members separated by the border

• Cargo operators moving time-sensitive goods

  
  

Increased Costs Affected Business and Tourism Sectors

Indirect routes created substantial financial problems. Using intermediate hubs not only took longer but also cost travelers much more. Business and leisure segments both felt the effects deeply.

Business travelers lost productivity and spent more money. Companies doing business between India and China struggled with these indirect routes. The tourism industry saw a sharp decline as leisure travelers faced higher costs in both time and money.

Longer transit times changed the basic economics of India-China travel. This disruption hit harder because both economies were recovering from pandemic-related slowdowns at the time. Bilateral economic activities suffered as a result.

Previous Restart Attempts Failed in January and June 2025

Growing pressure to bring back direct India To China Flight led nowhere. Officials confirmed plans to restart direct flights in January 2025, but these plans stopped suddenly. Sources revealed that a Pakistan-backed terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir raised regional tensions and derailed the January restart plan.

A second attempt came up in June 2025. All the same, this plan failed due to ongoing diplomatic issues. Airlines sometimes received early updates about possible restarts while negotiations continued quietly behind closed doors.

The lack of direct India To China Flight between these Asian giants meant more than just travel problems—it showed the deeper issues in their relationship. Passengers kept taking longer routes while diplomatic talks moved forward slowly, showing the complex political reality between these nations.

Border Tensions Complicated India-China Flight Negotiations

Direct air services between India and China remained suspended for five years. This unusual long break happened because of growing political tensions that turned into a diplomatic standoff.

2020 Galwan Valley Clash Strained Bilateral Relations

The military standoff in eastern Ladakh started in May 2020 and changed India-China relations forever. A violent hand-to-hand battle broke out in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020. The clash killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops. About 600 men fought for six hours in what became the first deadly clash between both countries in 45 years.

India took swift action after the incident.

The government canceled direct passenger air routes, put strict controls on Chinese investments, and banned over 200 Chinese apps including TikTok. Chinese companies could no longer work in key economic sectors. New Delhi also strengthened its border infrastructure. The government sent 12,000 more workers to complete projects along the disputed frontier.

Recent Diplomatic Thaw Enables Aviation Breakthrough

Things started to improve after a major military disengagement deal in October 2024. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met soon after. This was their first meeting in five years. They had meaningful talks during the BRICS summit in Russia, which helped restart diplomatic relations.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing in January 2025. This was one of the highest-level visits since the border clash. Both countries agreed to work on rebuilding trust and confidence. Many high-level meetings took place during this time. Yet some issues remained unresolved, like China's approval of a huge hydropower dam in Tibet that worried India.

India Eases Tourist Visa Restrictions for Chinese Nationals

India made a bold move in July 2025 by starting to issue tourist visas to Chinese nationals again. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun welcomed this step. He called it "positive news" that helped everyone's interests. This visa change was vital to help people from both countries connect again.

Both countries agreed to restart direct flights in March 2025. They also took other steps to build trust. China let Indian pilgrims visit sacred sites in Tibet for the first time in five years. These small but steady improvements paved the way for the flight resumption announcement expected at the upcoming SCO Summit.

Air India and IndiGo Prepare to Launch Mumbai to Shanghai Flights

Indian carriers must get ready to fly to China at short notice. Air India and IndiGo lead the pack to restart these routes. Both airlines flew to China before COVID-19 disrupted operations in early 2020.

"The airline stands ready to resume these services as soon as bilateral arrangements between the two countries allow," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in an August 13 statement. Air India has already listed Mumbai to Shanghai flights starting fares from INR 31,766 for 2025 operations.

Chinese Carriers Also Plan Route Resumptions

Three major Chinese airlines are ready to join once things pick up. Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern Airlines used to connect Chinese hubs with Indian metros and will soon restart their flights. These Chinese carriers had the biggest share of India-China routes before the pandemic.

Indian Consul General in Shanghai Pratik Mathur met with China Eastern Airlines' senior management team to talk about civil aviation growth in the region. This meeting shows both sides are taking real steps to prepare.

Expected Flight Prices and Schedules

Air India's published fares show Mumbai-Shanghai flights starting at INR 31,766. Some booking platforms list fares between ₹16,532 and ₹411,106 based on class and seats available.

Before flights stopped, Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern ran more than twelve flights every week. These flights connected New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata with Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming.

Experts think prices will be higher on busy days because of limited flights and high demand from business travelers, students, and families. The market might see a step-by-step return, starting with few weekly flights before adding more as demand settles.

Passenger Capacity and Frequency Details

The airlines plan to restart India To China Flight in stages. First, governments will agree on city pairs and weekly flight limits. Next, airlines will set schedules and get airport slots. Finally, they'll start selling tickets.

Delhi-Beijing and Delhi-Shanghai top the priority list, followed by flights to Guangzhou, Chengdu, and other business hubs. Airlines are also looking at connecting Bengaluru and Chengdu later.

The market peaked at 103 roundtrips per week in November 2019 after IndiGo started flying these routes. A direct Mumbai to Shanghai flight takes about 8 hours and 40 minutes. This is much faster than current options that need stops at other airports.

Direct Flights Will Boost Trade and Tourism Between Asian Giants

Direct routes between India and China now open up a huge chance for both countries to grow economically. Numbers show great promise - more than 800,000 passengers used to travel between these nations every year before the pandemic.

Economic Impact of Renewed Air Connectivity

Five years of indirect flights created many problems that direct routes will now fix. The cargo volume between India and China reached 30,000 tons yearly before the suspension.

This is a big deal as it means that it was much higher than the 17,700 tons moved between India and the US. These Direct India To China Flights will improve trade between these Asian giants who already do business worth INR 9281.85 billion.

Business Community Welcomes Development

Business leaders expect quick gains from these direct flights. They can now hold face-to-face meetings without wasting time at other airports. Companies working in both markets will save money on travel costs that shot up during the flight suspension.

Tourism Sector Anticipates Recovery

Tourism stands to gain big from this change. A small rise in tourist numbers could boost understanding between these nations that together have 2.8 billion people. Heritage tours, cultural groups, and academic visits will likely grow once these direct flights start. Tourism officials from both sides are learning about ways to make use of these new connections.

Conclusion

Direct flights between India and China have resumed, marking a turning point in relations between the world's two most populous nations. Travelers had to take expensive detours through other countries for five years due to diplomatic tensions and pandemic restrictions.

This affected business operations and tourism badly. The new air routes mean more than just easier travel - they show real progress in diplomatic relations after the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict that damaged ties between both nations.

The economic gains from direct air links will be clear. The removal of travel hurdles will boost trade efficiency. Previous cargo movement reached 30,000 tons yearly between both countries, with passenger numbers over 800,000 people. Businesses from both sides will save time and money.

Tourism will pick up as cultural exchanges become more available. Airlines have started getting ready. Air India and IndiGo lead the preparations on the Indian side, while Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern Airlines ready their planes for new routes. Flights between major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Shanghai will start first. More city pairs will join as passenger numbers grow steady.

This air link follows other good news, especially India's move to make tourist visas easier for Chinese citizens. These trust-building steps created the right environment for flights to start again. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit offers a perfect chance to make these plans official, with a possible meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi.

After five years of roundabout routes, people can now fly directly between these Asian giants. This new connection shows how both countries can work through their differences despite complex geopolitical challenges. It could open a new phase in India-China relations based on working together rather than staying apart.

FAQs

Q1. When are direct flights between India and China expected to resume?

A. Direct flights between India and China are expected to resume as early as September 2025, ending a five-year suspension of air connectivity between the two countries.

Q2. Which airlines are preparing to operate direct flights between India and China?

A. Air India and IndiGo are preparing to launch flights from the Indian side, while Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern Airlines are expected to resume operations from the Chinese side.

Q3. What caused the suspension of direct flights between India and China?

A. The suspension of direct flights was primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, followed by strained bilateral relations after the Galwan Valley border clash in June 2020.

Q4. How will the resumption of direct flights impact business and tourism?

A. The resumption of direct flights is expected to boost trade, reduce travel costs and time for businesses, and revitalize tourism between the two countries, potentially enhancing cultural exchanges and economic cooperation.

Q5. What routes are likely to be prioritized when direct flights resume?

A. Priority routes under consideration include Delhi-Beijing and Delhi-Shanghai, followed by connections to other major cities like Guangzhou, Chengdu, Mumbai, and Kolkata.