Direct flights between India and China have remained suspended since March 2020, when India banned all international travel due to the Covid-19 pandemic. | Photo Credit: Getty Images/Istockphoto
On Thursday (October 2, 2025), the center gave a green signal to restore direct flights between India and China after five years, with Indigo flights from Kolkata to the Guangzhou shopping center set from 26 October.
“It has now been agreed that direct air services connecting intended points in India and China can continue until the end of October 2025, in accordance with the winter season schedule,” the Ministry of the Ministry for external affairs said, adding “further facilitating people between India and China.
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The statement was followed by Indigo announcing daily flights between Guangzha and Calcutta and added that the trade town would soon be associated with a new Delh, “subject to regulatory approval”. Tickets for flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou will be open for sale from Friday (October 3). Industry sources said Air India also expects to start flights to Shanghai “Before the end of the year”.
In July, the Indian government announced the restoration of tourist visas to Chinese nationals.
Direct flights between India and China have been suspended since March 2020, when India stopped all international travel in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. While the restrictions have gradually alleviated for many countries, flights to China remained suspended due to increased tension along the real control line.
Indigo flights begin on the first day of the winter schedule, which starts on the last Sunday in October. The annual aviation schedule is divided into summer and winter schedules and allows airlines to plan and modify flights. The summer schedule begins since the last Sunday in March.
The restoration of Chinese carriers such as Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and Shandong Airlines, sources said there was a delay in their requests to the government. Air China learns to seek permission to connect Beijing with Delhi and later in Mumbai, one veteran of industry said.
Although all international flights were banned on March 22, 2020, as part of the location of measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 pandemic, international flights have gradually continued since the first week of May 2020 through special arrangements of air bubbles to March 2022, when normal commercial international flights were allowed again. However, direct flights between India and China did not appear because of the tension in the relationship between the two countries after the Galwan valley collision in June 2020.
Disruption was mainly influenced by small traders. For more than five years, passengers who need to move between India and China have relied on linking flights through third -country nodes such as Hong Kong and Singapore, resulting in an extended travel time and costs.
The tourism industry welcomed the government’s decision. “China is one of the largest sources in the world for outgoing tourism and has a significant contribution to the incoming tourism for India. Restoring air connections between the two countries is welcome, especially because India has not yet reached the level of incoming tourists at 11.5 million,” was subordinate to a company.
Published – October 2, 2025 17:09
