|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
India and China Flights Resume
India and China have reached a diplomatic breakthrough: after years of suspended air services, both nations will resume direct flights starting October 26, 2025. This development marks a cautious recalibration in bilateral relations, combining strategic, commercial, and people-to-people considerations.
Negotiations Behind the Scenes
The agreement builds on months of technical discussions between Indian and Chinese aviation authorities. The two sides have worked to revise their Air Services Agreement in order to restore scheduled connectivity and meet regulatory, operational, and commercial benchmarks.
The announcement comes shortly after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit signalling that both capitals are willing to test renewed engagement in incremental steps.
What Will Be the Initial Flight Routes
Under the new arrangement, approved carriers in both countries will operate direct routes on selected city pairs. Indian low-cost carrier IndiGo has declared that it will restart flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou on a daily basis beginning October 26. The service will be operated using its Airbus A320neo fleet.
Pending regulatory clearance, IndiGo also plans to launch direct Delhi-Guangzhou services. These routes are intended to catalyse trade, tourism, academic exchanges, and overall bilateral connectivity.
Why It Matters
Direct air access had been suspended for over four years, largely due to COVID-19 restrictions and tensions along the India-China border. The absence of these flights hurt tourism, academic exchanges, business travel, and the movement of professionals and families.
Reinstating direct services will:
- Reduce travel times and costs compared to existing multi-leg routes
- Create smoother channels for trade and investment dialogues
- Reopen doors for cultural and academic cooperation
- Serve as a diplomatic confidence-building gesture amid cautious ties
Challenges & Conditions Ahead
The resumed connection is not without caveats. It is contingent on several criteria, including:
- Final approvals from civil aviation and regulatory authorities
- Compliance with international aviation safety and security protocols
- Commercial viability of the routes from both sides
- Monitoring of overall bilateral relations, which remain delicate
Some analysts caution that while this is a symbolic step, its success depends on continuous adherence to diplomatic mutual trust. Any escalation in border disputes or policy shifts could slow or reverse this initiative.
What’s Next
Authorities in both nations must formally clear route permits, slot allocations, and aviation safety compliances. Once that is done, the service will be incorporated in the winter schedule. Follow-on steps may include new city pairs and increased frequencies if demand and trust grow.
This renewed air link is more than a route; it is a signal that India and China are exploring ways to reset their connectivity and engagement, even if cautiously.
